Nine Goddesses and a Magician
by Bishop0407
Summary: Some would say he is a magician, but others would say he is a trickster. Join Viktor Ivanov, a magician sent to Japan to fix an ice princess's attitude that was mostly caused by his own cold personality. He solves problems, but creates a ton more on his way. First fic, pls don't hate. I do not own Love Live, but I do own my OC. BTW, pls review! It means a lot to me!
1. Chapter 1: How it all started

Ch. 1

The audience of the Bolshoi Theater all stood up and applauded for the blonde girl who just finished her performance of _Swan Lake_. The cold atmosphere of Moscow temporarily lifted, replaced with a wave of passion from ballet lovers.

However, I was not one of those people.

"I want to get out of here!" My little brother, Vladimir, complained, "It's so boring!"

"I know," I patted his head, "I'm bored, too."

"Wasn't it a wonderful performance?" The old woman said enthusiastically, "There goes my smart and cute Elichika!"

"Yes, grandma." I deadpanned, "Such a wonderful performance."

"I told you so!" The old lady didn't seem to hear the sarcasm in my voice, "let's go pick her up backstage!"

So we followed her through the freezing hallways of the Ballet Theater into the backstage. There stood Ayase Eli, the granddaughter of the woman who adopted Vladimir and I from the local orphanage. She had her hair tied into a bun, and was still in her ballet dress, her sky-blue orbs just screamed excitement when she saw her grandma, who enveloped her into a big hug.

"What do you think?" Eli, who finished hugging her grandma, came to us, still excited like the little girl she is.

"About what?" I asked expressionlessly.

"The performance, of course!" She beamed.

Grandma shot us a glance, both Vladimir and I caught it, but we had different ways of doing things.

"It was great!" Vladimir forced a huge grin that almost turned him into a Cheshire cat; I rolled my eyes at his phony reaction.

Eli beamed at his answer and turned towards me, her eyes filled with anticipation as ever.

I tried my best to muster a grin as well, but it just didn't work on me. Or shall I say, it never worked on me, smiling and grinning like a complete fool in front of people I know.

"It was good." that was my answer, without a hint of emotion.

"Oh," Eli's eyes were filled with disappointment when I almost spat out my answer, but she recovered quickly and nodded, "thank you!"

As we walked back to the cottage, which was where we lived. Vladimir tugged my shirt and whispered in my ear.

"Why did you do that?"

"Do what?" I kept looking forward at Eli and her grandmother, whose minds and souls were still in the performance.

"You know old grumpy doesn't like that attitude of yours..."

"As if I cared." I took out a deck of cards from my pocket and started shuffling, "I never understood ballet anyway."

"Well, at least act like it!" Vladimir was worried, however I did not know why, "you're a magician! You should know how to act and lie and stuff like that!"

"That's for performances," I rolled my eyes, "I don't do performances to people I know."

"But..."

"No 'buts'," I sprung the cards with one hand and catching them with my other, "you know I preferred staying in the orphanage than be adopted."

"Man, you should really get over it," Vladimir said, "you know they're not going to come back."

My parents, both Intelligence Officers of the government, went MIA during one of their missions, and were presumed dead after three months. Their deaths were the nightmares that haunted me in my dreams, the reason why Vladimir and I ended up as orphans…..

And probably why I was an apathetic asshole all the time.

"Maybe my bond with them was deeper than yours," a ghost of a smile surfaced on my face, but Vladimir could easily detect that it was a sad one, "I love them very much."

"As do I," Vladimir put his hand on my shoulder, but with great effort, as he was much shorter than me, "but I moved on."

"Everyone adjusts themselves at different times, comrade." I sighed, looking at my watch, it was close to dinnertime, "and you better go do your homework."

"What about you?"

"I finished mine already."

"When?"

"At school."

"How do you do your homework so fast?"

"I don't waste my time."

We stepped into the cottage; the air instantly became warmer as the heat was turned on. The old couch before the television has been worn out for years, but old gramps still didn't bother to change it. A simple, also worn-out, wooden table was placed in the middle of the living room with a tablecloth covering it.

"What's for dinner tonight, grandma?" Eli shouted in the toilet.

"What?" The old lady shouted back, since she couldn't hear Eli in the kitchen.

"She asked what's for dinner tonight!" I delivered the message to her one more time as I slumped on to the couch.

"Stew for mains and chocolate pudding for dessert!"

"We got chocolate tonight, Eli!" I shouted across the living room, and Eli burst out of the toilet, her hands still not dry after washing them.

"We got chocolate? For dinner?" She beamed ecstatically.

"It's just for dessert," I took off my coat and hung it up, "I just told you the 'important bits'."

I sighed as I hear her giggling through the living room. Turning around, I came face to face with my dear brother.

"What?"

"I need help with my homework."

"But I get to shower first today," I said, but just when he was about to bargain, I shushed him, "take it or leave it."

"Fine," he groaned, "you win."

"I always win." I patted him on the head as he went the room that him and I shared for at least three years already. The room was small, with a bunker bed and two desks, there was basically nothing else.

I stepped into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. The reflection with hazel eyes placed evenly apart; messy, dark brown hair; a defined, and slightly pointed chin with a steady jaw line stared back at me.

I wasn't one of the good-looking ones; at least that was what I thought. This was because the girls in school didn't really like having conversations with me, always having their faces a deeper shade of red when talking to me, and constantly pushing each other, while giggling, towards me even though I didn't do anything to offend them.

"Dinner's ready!" I heard the old lady shout from the living room. So I washed my hands and joined them at the table. As told, dinner was stew and chocolate pudding for dessert.

"You finished all of your homework already?" Eli asked me as we two washed the dishes.

"Yeah." I simply replied.

"Can you teach me how to do a few math questions later?"

"Maybe." I placed the clean plates in a tray to dry out, "depends on how fast Vlad's on his."

"Oh." Eli's head dropped, and I stared at her. However, her head quickly went up and looked at me with sad, watery puppy eyes that no one could resist, "But you'll have time to teach me, right?"

 _Puppy eyes? Really?_ I rolled my eyes, but something told me that helping her was okay, and I won't have to be bothered by old granny again.

"Fine." I sighed, wiping my hands with a towel, "but make it quick."

Eli ran into her room and grabbed what I presumed was her math book. It was well kept, unlike mine.

"So, what's this question?" Eli pointed at one of the questions, and I stared at it for a moment before answering her, "See?"

"Harasho!" Eli exclaimed while I just face-palmed, "But the question was so hard that even the best in our class couldn't do it!"

"I'm a year older than you, Eli." I scoffed, "I'm supposed to know all of this."

"Then, how about this question?" The blonde asked me again, her sky-blue eyes pinned on to my hazel ones peculiarly.

"This one? Well..." I did the math in my mind, it wasn't too hard, but I had to write down a few notes on an empty piece of paper napkin to remind myself of a few formulas, "the answer should look like this."

Eli blinked a few times as I wrote the answer down on her book, still confused as to how I got the it.

"That's it?" I gave Eli back her book, which she took carefully, "If there isn't anything else, I got to go deal with my brother."

"Hey!" I stopped in my tracks as I turned around to see Eli hugging the book that was almost as big as her.

"Thank you!"

"It's been three years since you've known me." I said, turning back, "still, why the courtesy?"

"And you could be a little bit more warmer to people around you!" Eli pouted, her cheeks puffed, "especially people who you are gonna spend a lot of time with!"

If I were a boy with a soul, I would have blushed at how cute she was at the moment. However, I was still in grief, a boy who has lost both his parents and wouldn't even try to feel and love anymore.

"Yeah, whatever." I scoffed as I walked into my room.

"Thank you, ladies and gentlemen!" The bartender announced, "now let's give another round of applause for our champion illusionist! Viktor Ivanov!"

The crowd cheered like animals as I bowed and sprung the remaining playing cards everywhere on the stage. Readjusting my eye patch on my right eye, I stepped down from the stage, where lots of fans, mostly girls, came surrounding me.

"Mr. Ivanov!" One of the girls struggled to keep herself in front of the crowd, "Why do you wear an eye patch?"

"An accident." I chuckled, pointing at the black piece of cloth that covered my right eye, "And perhaps I might need this for the rest of my life."

"What happened? Did it hurt?"

"Well," I sighed, "people make mistakes all the time."

 _It was a starry night when my friends and I in the archery team went out to the range, all drunk and wasted. We laughed as we got out a bow, one arrow, and an apple._

" _You gonna shoot that off my head?" I laughed as I stood in front of a target, with the apple on my head._

" _Yeah, that's..." Peter held the bow and drew it, but had a small hiccup while he was aiming, "exactly what we're gonna do."_

" _Well, you'd better make it quick or I'm gonna piss myself!"_

 _As the arrow soared through the air, I could feel it embedding itself into my right eye socket, and the blood flowing out of the gaping hole after I pulled it out in pain._

" _Damn it!" I cursed. My friends, sober now, came to help me up and stop the bleeding, "get me to a hospital!"_

"What was it again?" She asked.

"Boiling water," I smiled, "I wasn't being careful when I was cooking noodles."

"You should be more careful!" She gasped, although she didn't want to believe my story.

"Anyway, I got to go home now." I stared at my watch, "I still got school tomorrow."

"Aww... Can't you stay for a few drinks?" The girl said seductively, in which some of her friends nodded furiously to, "I mean...You're old enough, right?"

"Old enough for what?" I leaned close to her, tickling her with my breath. While she was blushing furiously, I swiped her wallet from her bag to my pockets.

Before she could answer, I walked out of the bar and closed the doors behind me.

"How much did you get this time?" Vladimir asked, standing beside me in the freezing Moscow streets.

"200 rubles," I shrugged, "enough for a decent meal, I guess."

It's been three years since Eli left Russia for Japan, while old gramps still tried to support me and Vladimir, we decided that putting that much pressure on her and Eli's parents wouldn't be a good idea, since we owe them too much.

"Let's go home." I went to a stall and bought two baked potatoes, "We don't want the old lady waiting."

As grumpy as she had been, granny was in good shape. And being in good shape actually meant poking me around with her walking stick when she wanted me to run a few errands for her.

"Viktor!" She almost shouted, "Get your butt over here!"

"What now?" I groaned, but was rewarded with a poke with her stick, "Ow!"

"How was school?"

"Fine, I guess." I shrugged, "don't worry, I still got that scholarship in the bag."

"You won't be needing it anymore." She suddenly said.

For a moment, I stared at her in disbelief.

"What?" My jaw dropped to the ground, "What do you mean I don't need..."

"You're transferring." She said.

"Where?"

"Japan."

 _Are you kidding me_? I thought. _You have got to be kidding me._

"Where?" I asked whilst trying to process and accept the information given, "You and I both know that I'm not bad at Japanese, but..."

"Otonokizaka High." Granny said, "You will be transferring there. Your visa is already done, and the plane leaves tomorrow at noon."

"Does Vladimir even know about this?" I asked, suspicious of her every move now.

"He doesn't." Granny said coldly, "You're going in solo."

 _What is wrong with you?_

"You did not just..." I was speechless by now, "You are not pulling Vladimir into this..."

"I'm sorry, alright?" Granny snapped, and I stopped babbling at once, "Otonokizaka needs more students, and I wouldn't send you to Japan if I had any other choice!"

"And why is that?"

"The school is closing due to the lack of students."

"So?" I was still confused at this point, "not like it's any of my business."

"I studied there once." She sighed, "And I love my school."

"Now that's just selfish," I crossed my arms, "you can't let people sacrifice their future just to help solve one of your problems."

"And you need to look after Eli."

"Oh, really now?" I scoffed, "and to watch over your precious granddaughter?"

"She has always looked up to you, Viktor." She eyed me carefully, "Can't you just be helpful for once and at least guide her?"

"Guide her in what?"

"She's the Student Council President."

"She got elected by the students, which means they trust her judgment."

"Time changes people." She said, "Eli hasn't been the same since."

"How?" I narrowed my eyes at her.

"She became just like you."

"As in?"

"Cold, shut-off," she sighed, "but she isn't as calculating or cunning as you."

"What do you mean, I'm cunning?" I gritted my teeth.

"She's your problem, so you are going to deal with it."

 _You have got to be kidding me._

I sat on the plane, reminiscing all that happened in my childhood and adolescent years in Russia. All the pain, all the suffering, and all the few hints of joy and happiness I had…

 _So, an all-girls school then. I sighed at the thought. Just when I thought life was at least getting better for me…_

 _What should I become if I were to survive in an all-girl's school?_

 _Don't be a jerk._

" _Give it back to me, Peter!" Natasha screamed, tears were forming at the edge of her eyes._

" _I certainly will not." Peter snorted while dangling Natasha's lipstick in front of her, giggling like a little child._

" _I swear to God, Peter!" Natasha chased after him._

" _You ain't gonna catch me!"_

 _Yes, don't be a jerk._

 _Be friendly? I mean, I could at least pretend to be._

 _I guess that's it._ _Let's go to school, then._

I stood in front of a big, brick building that just screamed old with a old gate in front.

 _Really? This pile of junk you call a school?_

I took out my cellphone and contacted the person that old gramps told me to.

"Chairwoman Minami here. May I help you?" From the phone came a strong, but caring voice of a woman.

"Yes…." I stuttered, "umm… I'm the transfer student to Otonokizaka who's…."

"Oh! You must be….What's your name?" I heard an awkward laugh from the other end.

 _And old gramps didn't even bother to tell her my name….. Well, I guess that means I could be anyone I want._

"Uhhhhh….. Schmidt," I mustered up whatever's left of my German, "Johann Schmidt."

"A German? How exciting!" She was excited by the tone of her voice, "where are you now?"

"Right at your school gates." I looked up to that red pile of bricks and concrete.

"You do know that today's a Sunday, right?" She tried to suppress her giggle.

"I don't like trespassing." I said, "The gates are locked."

"I'm terribly sorry!" She panicked, "I'll come down and open them for you…"

"I'll do fine on my own," I took out two paper clips and bent them into shape while holding the phone between my shoulder and cheek, "you just… Stay put."

"A lock-picker?" She was really confused at this point.

"I do have a variety of hobbies and skills," I grunted, taking the padlock off of the school gates after I finished picking it, "What, are we starting the interview early?"

"No… It's just that…" She was nervous, "I'm not sure if someone with your skills could…"

"I'm not a pervert, if that's what you think I am." I threw the paperclips into a bin and walked into the school building, "anyway, where are we supposed to meet? This place is huge."

"The chairwoman's office is on the second floor." Minami-san said, "You should be able to see it."

Pushing the door in, I came face to face with the woman who had been talking with me over the phone in the past few minutes: she had ash-grey hair and was wearing a white blazer with a matching skirt, and a black dress shirt. Her amber orbs sparked with interest as I sat opposite to her.

"So, Schmidt-san," she placed her hands together on her lap, "we finally meet."

"It was just a three minute phone call," I replied, "you don't have to be all dramatic."

"It comes to my attention that you are to attend Otonokizaka High for the coming school year," Minami-san looked at some papers on her desk, "However, you have to know that…"

"It's an all-girls high school." I stroked my chin as if there was a beard, "I did my homewrok."

"Correct." Minami-san nodded, "So, I need you to know that if any one of my students…."

"Gets molested by some pervert that could pick locks?" I finished the sentence for her, to which she was very surprised, "you can call the cops on me anytime you want."

"I'm glad we are both on the same page." Minami-san sighed.

Well, I understood that she was just thinking for her students, but that sigh actually hinted me of something more than her career…It was something personal. Looking at her desk, I discovered a photo frame and turned it around, on it was Minami-san and a girl who was basically a smaller replica of her.

"Your daughter studies here, then." I turned the photo frame back, facing her, "No wonder you were worried."

"I just…." Minami-san looked away from me, obviously flustered and nervous now.

"Don't trust a guy who wears an eye patch and can pick locks who is going to study in the same school as your daughter? I could imagine."

"I just hope that you can understand where I'm coming from…" She forced a small smile.

"Maybe," I looked at her grimly, "just know that your daughter should be grateful to have a mother who cares for her so much."

"And your parents?" Minami-san looked at me curiously, "Where are they now?"

I took a deep breath. I guess it was a natural question for her to ask, but it just aches for me to answer it every time.

"They're in Russia." I forced a smile. Hopefully she didn't suspect anything.

"Oh, so you must know how to speak Russian then?"

"Indeed, I do."

"So, that relative of yours," Minami-san continued to scan the documents on her desk, "she didn't give me any specific details about you, only the fact that you're a boy."

"She, uh…" I thought for a while to find the right words, "wanted to uphold the traditions of this school, I guess."

Minami-san raised an eyebrow at me.

"Which means I stay off all school records." I crossed my arms, "Johann Schmidt never existed here."

"But hey," I shrugged, "desperate times, desperate measures."

"I don't see how that's going to help the school, though."

"I received a full-amount scholarship back in my old school," I scoffed, "I've been in the student council since middle school."

"Really?"

"Ended up as vice-president last year."

"Then maybe I should introduce you to the Student Council here, then."

"With pleasure." I smiled.

"Last question." Minami-san pointed at my right eye, "What happened there?"

"Noodles." I simply stated, "I was cooking noodles."

"Well, I guess that's it." Minami-san finally gave me a heartily smile, "Welcome to Otonokizaka Academy."

 _Wait, that's it?_

"Yeah…..Thanks." I looked her awkwardly.

"This is your school tie, the rest of the dress-code is in the student handbook." She smiled at me warmly, "Small tip: the clothes you're wearing right now doesn't fit it."

I opened the small box that she gave me; sitting inside was a turquoise tie. For the dress code, I was supposed to be wearing a white dress shirt, a blue blazer with matching pants and dark leather shoes.

 _Glad there was nothing about eye patches_ , I gave a sigh of relief. On the other hand, I looked at what I was wearing…..

Black dress shirt, black jeans, and sneakers. _Yeah, totally doesn't fit the dress code_. I rolled my eyes.

"Anything else I need?" I asked, putting the tie in my back pocket since I only brought my wallet, phone, and a deck of cards during the entire trip.

"Your 'relative' wanted you to have this." Minami-san gave me an envelope, inside was a key and a credit card.

"Well, at least she gave me a place to stay." I twirled the key in my hand, while pocketing the credit card, "is that all?"

"I guess that's it." Minami-san smiled.

"Then I bid you a farewell, Minami-san." I stood up and gave her a small bow.

I closed the door behind me as I walked out. Supposing the school was empty, I looked around, hoping to know the place better if I didn't want to be late for class. However, I had to get all of my school supplies and find my apartment.

Finding my apartment wasn't hard, as the address was written on the key in very small letters. After I had settled my internal affairs and got my school supplies, I decided to take a walk at a shrine close by that wretched school I was going to study in.

I took up a flight of damned long stairs to reach the top, but thanks to my time at the archery team, it wasn't too tiring.

Taking a deep breath, I stretched myself in the vast empty space, but I was oblivious to whoever was closing up to me…

"You put on a relaxing vibe, but I can sense your stress within." She said calmly, "Are you here to pray to the Gods?"

"Or are you here for some spiritual power?"

 _What the hell was she talking about? I frowned as I turned around, coming face to face with a purple-haired girl in a white and red traditional outfit holding a broom._

"What?" I creased my eyebrows and narrowed my eyes.

"This place is magical, you know?" She smiled warmly. However, that smile was not only warm: it was disarming.

 _And from my experience, someone with a disarming smile just screamed 'dangerous' to me._

"I don't believe in magic," I deadpanned, "nor do I believe in Gods."

"Then why do you come here?" She looked at me curiously.

"You have an awful lot of questions for someone who cleans up the place." I eyed her broom carefully, "What's your name?"

"Toujo." She smiled again, the smile itself now more disarming than ever.

"Nozomi Toujo."


	2. Chapter 2: Before they knew each other

Ch. 2

"Alright, Toujo." I sneered, "why do you believe that magic and Gods exist?"

"There's no why." She smiled, "I just do."

Again, that disarming smile.

"Good for you, I guess."

"And how should I address you?" Nozomi asked, giggling while pointing towards my eyepatch, "I believe that it's highly unlikely you would let me call you pirate-san, huh?"

"Just John will do."

"Well then, John-kun," Nozomi glanced at the sky for a moment before turning back towards me, "you don't mind staying here for a little while longer, do you?"

"I've got time." I eyed her carefully, "But why?"

"I like making new friends!" Nozomi fished out a deck of cards with a blue card back, "and I love reading other's futures."

"I didn't ask for a reading." I said coldly, "And every professional Tarot reader knows it's impolite to read one's future without permission."

"I'm no professional Tarot Reader," Nozomi smirked while shuffling the cards, "a three card reading, then?"

"Whatever suits your fancy." I sighed. Honestly, I give up.

Nozomi flipped over the first card, revealing the Three of Swords.

Personally, I've messed around with Tarot Cards a few years back, but I'm afraid that I have forgotten almost all of their meanings. However, the Three of Swords? I remember it like it was yesterday…

"Rejection, sadness, loneliness…" Nozomi looked at me pitifully, "what happened to you?"

"Nothing of your concern." I folded my arms.

Second card: The Fool.

"You know it could be anything, right?" I cockedmy eyebrows, "The Fool is one of the most powerful cards in the deck."

"Indeed." Nozomi looked confused, "A mystery."

"Ha," I joked, "I was expecting the Lovers."

"My my, I never thought you'd want that kind of card." Nozomi's warm smile slowly warped into a somewhat mischievious grin.

"Just kidding." I rolled my eyes, where Nozomi's eyes contored to surprise.

"Let's see about your future, then."

Nozomi turned the last card over, revealing The Ten of Cups.

"Achievement, prosperity." Nozomi returned to her warm smile, "You seem to have a very bright future."

Bright future, my ass.

"Yeah, whatever." I scoffed.

"The cards are very accurate, you know?"

Accurate, my ass.

"Whatever you say." I said, "Anyway, I gotta go home. It's getting dark."

"I bid you farewell, then." Nozomi gave a slight bow, "But I am certain that our paths will cross again."

"I hope so." I returned the bow, although my mind was thinking of the opposite, "It's been nice talking to you."

I went back to my apartment and closed the door. Lying down a couch that the apartment's previous owner left, I stared at the uniform that I had to wear for a whole school year starting from tomorrow.

"Hey Viktor!" Granny's voice boomed through the phone, "How's life?"

"Great. Thanks to you." I sneered.

"You'd better get some shut-eye," she said as I heard her swallow something, "it's gonna be a long day tomorrow."

"You bet." I said, doing Charlier Cuts with one handwhile holding the phone with my other.

"I have already informed Chairwoman Minami to introduce you to the Student Council as a consultant." She said, "I expect you and Eli to work well together."

"I'll try my best."

Finally, something constructive for me to do in school.

However, it finally struck me: does Eli even remember me? If she does, what should I do? Do I stick to my performance and be the "good guy" Johann? Or do I just be myself and behave like an apathetic asshole, as others usually told me?

Guess I'll just deal with it, then.

"Good night." I said, ending the phone call.

Fiddling with my deck of cards, I laid on the coach lazily, not even wanting to move a single muscle. Thoughts of making friends crossed my mind, but they were quickly dismissed.

Maybe I could get myself a girlfriend?

I mentally slapped myself when I realized what I was thinking about.

"No, Viktor." I felt disgusted, "Just save the school and leave."

But saving the school's gonna waste a lot of time.

"Or don't." I marvelled at this new idea of mine. If letting that hell-hole burn to ashes meant allowing me to return to Russia and finish my education? So be it.

"I mean, that old witch literally forced me to come here." I thought for a moment, "So yeah, no regrets on doing a bad job on purpose."

With this malicious deed in mind, I drifted into a dreamless sleep. Awaiting me was a day of surprises and a ton of problems…

Get up, slacker.

I opened my left eye, and the sun instantly poured into my eye, blinding me.

"Damn it!" I cursed as I got up and changed into the white dress shirt, blue blazer, and pants.

I looked into the mirror: the pants, the blazer and the dress shirt all were of the right size. However, the green tie hung loosely at my neck, almost as if it was dangling; my hair was a total mess, hair stuck out everywhere as if it was a bird's nest. I rubbed my eye as I stared at myself lazily and yawned.

Just as I was about to walk out of my door, my stomach grumbled as if I haven't eaten in days.

"Alright, alright!" I threw my arms in the air, "Breakfast first! I get it!"

"I need something to eat… I need something to eat…" I grumbled as I dragged myself to school.

As I turned a few corners, I noticed a place that looked awfully like a shop that could sell food and crashed inside.

"Welcome to Homura!" A woman who looked like she was in her thirties, had brown hair and blue eyes smiled, "How may I help you today?"

"Uhh… You got chocolates? Bread?" I stared at her, exhausted despite just waking up.

"Yes, and what flavor would you prefer?"

"What would you recommend?" I asked her, too lazy to pick for myself.

"I personally would recommend the red bean paste."

"No! Not the red bean paste!" Someone suddenly shouted upstairs.

The woman was surprised, or at least she seemed like it. But she sighed and looked back at me.

"I apologize for my daughter, Honoka." She smiled awkwardly, "Then maybe you should try the white bean paste?"

"Not that one either!" The voice boomed.

"I'll take one of each." I sighed and handed her the money.

"Thank you." She once again smiled at me. Turning towards the stairs, she started yelling back.

"Honoka!" She shouted, "You're going to be late for school!"

"Coming!" A orange-haired girl with a side ponytail came rushing down the stairs…

…With a similar uniform, but with a red ribbon instead.

"So, which school are you going to?" The woman asked me, her blue orbs scanned my uniform peculiarly.

"Otonokizaka High." I answered bluntly, hoping not to draw any unwanted attention.

The brunette looked at me in confusion.

"I mean…" I quickly collected myself, but I don't think any words could explain the situation that I was in.

"Oh! So you're Honoka's senpai, then!" She said.

I'm starting to regret coming into this shop…

"A senpai?" The girl beamed at her mother while tugging her arm.

"This is Honoka, my daughter." The woman said, patting her daughter's head gently, "She can be very annoying at times."

"Mom!" Honoka pouted, "That's so mean!"

At this moment, I couldn't help but chuckle at thisawkward but yet sweet 'situation'. However, it was also painful to watch as it brings back memories of whatever was left of my childhood…

"Did you like the performance, Viktor?" My mother asked, patting my head.

"Like it? I absolutely love it!" I squealed as I watched a magician signed playing cards and tossedthem everywhere.

"Would you like to meet the man himself, then?"

"Really?" I beamed at her, while she just nodded, smiling.

"Ah, Valeriya!" The man in a tuxedo, a top hat, and a monocle greeted us backstage, "What brings you here today?"

"Just here to bring my adorable son to a magic show." Mom stretched the word 'adorable', making me blush.

"Mom!" I felt embarassed of her choice of words.

"It's okay, comrade." The magician grinned and knelt down so that he was at eye level at me, "Your mother is a lovely woman."

"Oh, stop it!" It was mother's time to blush, "You were always such a lady's man, Joseph."

"I try not to be." Joseph glanced at mother with a smile before turning back to me, "So, what brings you here, little man?"

"I…" I struggled to keep my words together, "I really liked your performance!"

My face went ten shades of red deeper as Joseph burst out in laughter.

"Oh my, Valeriya sure wasn't kidding when she said you were adorable!" He pinched my cheeks, "You are absolutely gorgeuous!"

"Anyway, I'll be going to school." I gave a slight bow, "I don't want to be late on my first day."

"See?" Honoka's mother flicked her daughter's forehead, "This is how you should behave!"

"Mou…" Honoka pouted, rubbing her eyes with one hand while rubbing her forehead with the other, "I just wanted some extra nap time…"

"How far is the school from here?"I asked, checking my watch. 7:50 am.

"Fifteen minutes, tops." Honoka's mother said, gently pushing her daughter out the door, while the latter still complained about the lack of sleep.

"Then I guess I should be going, as well." I smiled, stepping out of the shop, only to see Honoka dashing across the street.

What's with the rush? I thought. My name doesn't even exist on the official list, anyway.

I arrived at that old, brick buiding once again. Petals of cherry blossoms fell gracefully to the ground as a breeze came through, turning the brick floor a bright pink.

However, there was something different than the last time I visited this wretched place: it was alive. I watched as students walk in groups into the school building, smiles and laughs present on their faces; although the school was closing down, all of the girls seemed unfazed.

So naïve. I thought. So carefree…

… Or careless, for some matters.

I walked three flights of stairs up, passing by many girls, who were obviously surpised and a little bit scared when they saw me. But then again, who wouldn't be when they see a poorly dressed boy with an eye patch in a all girl's school?

"Rin-chan, why is there a boy here?" A short girl with diry-blonde hair and purple eyes who wore glasses tugged her friend, another girl with short, orange hair with yellow eyes.

"I don't know, nya…" The girl, or 'Rin', was obviously scared as both of them tried hiding behind some lockers before peering at me.

At the mention at the word 'boy', I turned my head towards them and glared with my eye.

"He…… He looks so scary, nya…" Rin cowered while the girl with glasses hid behind her, although I could still see most of her except for the head.

What the hell's wrong with you people? Shaking my head, I dragged myself up the remaining stairs and reached the third floor, where I was instructed to report at classroom 3-1.

"3-1……3-1……." I grumbled under my breath as I passed by many empty classrooms. I peeked inside one of them, but it wasn't the fact that the classroom was empty that scared me…

It felt dead.

The vibe that those empty classrooms gave me sent a chill down my spine. I knew for a fact that the school was closing no matter what, but those classrooms that should be filled with laughing students left hollow was just wrong.

"3-1." I gave a sigh of relief as I finally reached my designated classroom, where there was at least some noise, "Let's see how big of a mess I'm in , then."

I slid open the door and stepped inside.

You have got to be kidding me.

I froze in fear as the whole classroom of people turned around and stared at me, including the teacher who had dark hair and wore a suit. And before I could move a single foot, I could already hear whispers amongst my new classmates.

"Excuse me, are you the new transferee?" The teacher asked me.

"Yeah." My confirmation was weak, but she heard it nonetheless, "I'm not late, am I?"

"If you had been five minutes later, yes." She looked at her watch and motioned for me to come closer, "Now, can you introduce yourself to the class?"

I looked at the mass of thirty-something people, all of them were looking at me curiously. But amongst them, I saw two people whom I recognised immediately.

One was the purplenette that I met at the shrine yesterday.

I shivered at the memory of my brief encounter with her. Toujo, was it?

The other one who sat at the near back of the classroom, close to the windows, however, immediately sparked my interest: her blonde hair tied into a simple ponytail, the perfecty tailored blue blazer fitted her flawlessly, her sky-blue orbs pierced my hazel ones sharply.

"Hi." I smiled awkwardly, to which I earned a few giggles from the class, "My name is Schmidt, Johann Schmidt."

"So you're a foreigner?" The teacher asked me.

"Yeah, I was born in Germany." I lied, "My grandparents lived in Berlin back in the Cold War, so I learnt how to speak Russian."

"How intriguing." The teacher cooed, "Then I believe you would love to meet Ayase-san, our current Student Council President."

Without a moment's hesitation, the blonde stood up and gave a slight bow.

"I'm Ayase Eli, the current Student Council President." She said almost emotionlessly, "I look forward to learning with you."

"Then please look after me." I grinned. Man, granny wasn't joking when she said Eli became apathetic.

"Since you're so tall, Schmidt-san," the teacher interrupted me with an awkward smile, "maybe it's best if you sit at the back row, behind Ayase-san."

"Sure." I shrugged, "I don't mind."

Slouching lazily on the hard, wooden chair, I tossed my backpack at the corner of the classroom, letting it sit there. Glancing around, I saw Nozomi studying me as if I was something supernatural, sending chills down my spine.

"Alright class," The teacher put on her glasses, "I'm Kyoko Sasahara, and I will be your math and class teacher this school year, I hope we get along with each other."

God, these people are so polite that it scares me.

After a long, boring, morning of classes, I nearly fell asleep on my chair just when Nozomi and Eli came up to me.

"And I thought you were joking when you said we would meet again." I groaned, to which she giggled and Eli remained emotionless.

"I told you magic exists." She said. Again, that smile is just making me uncomfortable.

"Schmidt-san, is it?" Eli asked.

"Yeah?" I replied lazily.

"I have been informed by the Chairwoman that you have had experiences with Student Council Affairs."

"Yes, I have."

"And the fact that she would like you to be a consultant within the Council."

"I am aware of that."

"Then I hope you can give us some valuable and constructive advice during the meeting afterschool today." She said, emotionlessly yet politely.

"I guess I'll try my best, then." I grinned. Well done, Eli, on being the worst replica of me, ever.

Honestly, I haven't sensed a bit of emotion since I met Eli. One the other hand, I could still laugh at the fact that she couldn't recognise me, despite my eyepatch and a 'change of attitude'.

"I take it you haven't explored the school yet?" Nozomi asked. However, it was time I took notice of the elephant in the room…

She's got a very impressive bust.

"I… Haven't, yet." I struggled to keep eye contact with her, but it was also hard for me as that look of her's could hypnotize people.

"Then maybe Elicchi and I can show you around?" Nozomi tried to smile sweetly, but I couldn't help but notice that it was devious.

"M… Maybe I'll do fine on my own." I stammered as I smiled at them awkwardly, "I don't like people spoiling my surprises."

"Whatever suits your fancy, then." Nozomi imitated my tone from yesterday.

I swear to God, I have no idea how to deal with her.

"Anything else?" The nice, old lady at the tuck shop asked me.

"Just the sandwich and a cup of tea will do , thank you." I smiled as I payed her.

As I strolled around the school, I came across three girls sitting at a bench that surrounded a huge tree, and one of them was the ginger-haired girl, Honoka, that I met this morning.

I saw her whispering something to her two friends, one with ocean blue hair and another with ash-grey hair and amber eyes…

Who looked awfully like the Chairwoman's daughter.

The trio then stared at me as if I was some sort of alien.

Do something, you idiot! I waved at them slightly.

While her two friends didn't do much, Honoka waved at me as if she was high on sugar.

"Senpai!" Her voice boomed and echoed throughout the school, "Over here!"

And you had to make this less awkward, Honoka. I facepalmed as I saw literally everyone turn their heads to stare at me.

"Hi." Was all I said as I approached the three girls.

"Umi-chan, Kotori-chan!" Honoka looked at her two friends and back at me again, "This is the senpai that I met this morning!"

I gave the two girls a smile, but they seemed more frightened than excited to meet someone new.

"A… And you didn't bother to ask his name?" The girl with blue hair, who I assumed to be 'Umi' due to her hair color, asked her energetic friend.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Honoka said sheepishly, sticking her tongue out in embarassment, "My name is Kousaka Honoka!"

"Schmidt." I said, "Johann Schmidt."

"It's very nice to meet you, Schmidt-senpai." The bluenette stood up and gave a slight bow, "I'm Sonada Umi."

"Please, just John will do." I chuckled, "calling me senpai just makes me sound old."

"Please look after us, Schmidt-senpai!" The girl in ash-grey hair said in an awfully high pitch, "I'm Minami Kotori."

So she IS the Chairwoman's daughter, then.

"Likewise," I said, creasing my eyebrows, "but please, just John will do."

"Eh?!" The three girls exclaimed, "We… We can't…"

I looked at the color of their ribbons, and at my own tie.

"So you guys classify me as a upperclassman because of the color of my tie, huh?" I asked.

"Y… Yeah…" Honoka tapped her index fingers together, "And mom told me that you are my senpai, so…"

"So it's the tie's fault, right?" I said, taking off the green tie and putting it in my pocket, leaving me now with just a plain, white shirt, "Better?"

"But still…" They hesitated.

"No tie, no upperclassman." I said casually, "So, what do you call me?"

"It's… Nice to met you…" Honoka hesitated for a moment, "… John-kun."

"That's way better." I smiled and patted her head, to which she blushed furiously, "See? It wasn't so hard, was it?"

"I… I guess so…" Kotori stammered before giving a warm smile, "John-kun."

"Bingo! Well done, Kotori!" I gave her a fist bump, to which she happily complied to.

"Now for you, Umi." I smirked.

"I… I…" Umi blushed ten shades of red deeper, "It's so embarassing!"

What? Really?

"Umi-chan!" Honoka pouted, "It's only you here who thinks it's embarassing!"

"I'm afraid Honoka-chan's right." Kotori gave a dry laugh, "Even John-kun is willing to treat us as equals."

"I… I just can't…" Umi hugged her knees.

"Hi, I'm John." I reached out my right hand, "Nice to meet you."

"Hi… J… John…" Umi took my hand with her's and hesitantly shook it, "It's… Nice to… Meet you…"

As I shook Umi's hand, I noticed something: her right middle and index finger had quite a few calluses on them. And as I recall from what I've learnt, only certain people have them…

"Nice job, Viktor." My archery coach, Leon, clapped slowly as he looked away from his binoculars.

"Thanks." I muttered, before loading another arrow on to my recurve bow.

"Although we all know that you have already mastered the recurve and compound," Leon said, pressing his hand on my bow to prevent me from shooting another arrow, "how far can you go with a longbow?"

I have heard of those kind of bows before: used during the ancient times, those bows were just bare sticks of bamboo, wood, and leather with a piece of string. You pull the string with two fingers, the index and the middle instead of three. Accuracy back then was pure gut feeling, with no sights to help with the aim.

"I don't know." I shrugged, unloading my arrow and putting my bow on it's stand, "Wouldn't mind if I try."

"Atta boy." Leon smiled, "Always up for a challenge."

Leon turned around and took what seemed like a bow twice my size off the wall, along with a quiver of twelve arrows.

"My grandfather was a captain back in the Second World War." He said proudly, caressing the bow, "A Japanese admiral gave this to him when they surrendered."

"I see it has a long history, then." I said, feeling it in my hands. The bow was light, but as it's name suggests, it was huge.

"Now, shooting with a longbow requires skill, of course," Leon said as I loaded an arrow, "but you also need that gut feeling."

I rolled my eyes. You don't say?

"You know I don't usually rely on my instincts." I said, pulling the string. Damn, this thing is really hard to pull.

"Thought it would be lighter, huh?" Leon gave a small chuckle, "let's see how the Ace of our team does with an antique."

I aimed at my target. 18 metres. I thought. I continued to exhale through pulling the string, but I couldn't even find a place to aim!

"Line your shot through the string, arrow, and target." Leon said, looking at the 'x' on the target paper, "Gives you a better 'gut feeling'."

I lined up the shot and stuck the side of my index finger with my cheek bone, allowing me a clear line of sight with the target.

"Remember, continue to pull when you are releasing." Leon looked at my form, "Don't let the gut feeling take over the basics."

My arms were trembling by the time I've aimed properly at the target, my back soaked in sweat. I gritted my teeth as I exhaled, hissing sounds echoed through the range. Releasing the string, I let the arrow fly…

I missed the target entirely.

"Not bad for starters." Leon chuckled as I lowered the bow, "Most experienced archers missed the target by more than a few inches on their first try."

"How far off was I?"

"Just an inch or so." Leon sipped from his water bottle, "But still, you missed."

"Guess I'm not good at everything, then." I said, handing him back the longbow, but he didn't take it.

"Do a few more shots with it," he said.

"Look, Leon." I sighed, "Maybe I'm just bad at the longbow, so if you would be so kind and…"

"Nearly everyone's bad at something on their first try." Leon said, shoving the bow back to me, "But they keep trying."

"Did my father try this bow?" I asked.

"He did." Leon lit a cigarette, "Guess how far off did he go?"

"How far?"

"Ten inches."

"And I'm supposed to be proud that I did better than papa?" I sneered.

"Your father was the Ace of the team, just like you." Leon said, smoke from his cigarette puffed out of his mouth, "But he possessed something that I never seen you have."

"And what would that be?"

"Passion."

"I see that you practice the arts, then." I let go of Umi's hand.

"Huh?"

"The calluses on your middle and index finger." I eyed her right hand, "Longbow?"

"Yes, indeed." Umi suddenly became less flustered and stood straight.

"So, there's an archery club around here?" I asked.

"Apparantly, yes." Umi glanced at a small, old building that had the word 'archery' printed on a board in traditional Japanese calligraphy, "I practice everyday after school."

"It's nice to see someone who share the same interests as I do." I smirked, but the phrase 'afterschool' reminded me of something.

"However, I'm afraid that I can't go today."

"And why is that?"

"I got to deal with the Student Council."

"Ehhhh?!" The three girls exclaimed again, "You're with the Student Council?!"

"I'm just a consultant." I deadpanned, "I don't really work with them. I just give my honest opinions and hopefully, they ignore me."

Dead silence…

"But hey," I shrugged, "I haven't even been to the first meeting yet."

"We wish you good luck then," Umi bowed a little, "John-kun."

"And viola, she said it." I grinned, "Now I must leave you three as I gotta explore this new environment."

I strolled around for a while and turned a few corners until I heard something that didn't sound human: the sound was lazy, laid back, but it certainly wasn't human.

Following the sound, I made my way into a corner, where there were two girls and a pair of alpacas.

Wait, aren't those the two girls I met this morning who were gawking at me?

"Hi there." I waved a little, and the two girls turned around, needless to say they look terrified when they saw me.

"H… Hi…" The girl with glasses stammered, she was holding a bunch of straw, and the white alpaca was munching on some.

"Hi…..Nya…" The other girl, Rin, was it? Waved a little, too. However, her wave was subtle, kind of like a cat. Despite the 'nya'.

I took a look at their ribbons: blue. So they're first years, huh?

"Alpacas, huh?" I glanced at the two furry animals: the white one seemed friendly enough, the brown one, however…

I cowered as the brown alpaca spat all over me, and might I say…

It smelled awful.

"My… You are…" I wiped bits of saliva off myself, flinging it to the ground, "…Feisty."

While I was doing so, I couldn't help but notice that the two girls were covering their mouths with their hands, trying to conceal their laughter.

"I swear…" Wiping the rest of the saliva off, "That brown monstrosity did not like me…"

The brown alpaca huffed in defiance and turned it's head away.

"Now, don't you gimme that attitude." I pointed at it, but it didn't even bother.

"I think she just wanted to have fun." The girl with glasses spoke up, her eyes filled with tears due to her laughter. Patted the brown alpaca, producing a lazy yawn from it.

Fun, my ass.

"Great." I spat, "Just great."

"I'm Hoshizara Rin!" The girl with orange hair was struggling to introduce herself as she was still trying hard not to laugh, "Nice to meet'cha!"

"Just call me John," I groaned, "Don't call me senpai."

"I'm….. I'm…." The girl with glasses was struggling, too. However, her face was a deep shade of red.

"Koizumi Hanayo, desu."

"Nice to meet you," I reached out my hand, which she shook reluctantly, "I'm John."

"So, John-senpai is a boy?" Rin asked.

"Long story." I sighed, "Maybe I can tell you some other time."

Leaving the two first-graders as they were, I walked straight back into the building, but bumping into someone in the way…

"Hey!" A short, raven-haired girl in a pink sweater yelled at me, "Watch where you're going!"

I looked at her: a third year? Really?

"You're a third year?" I asked.

"Wha… Of course I am!" She huffed.

"You ain't fooling me, rookie." I smirked, "Ain't no third year this short…"

"You idiot!" She yelled at me.

"Look who's talking." I scoffed.

"What did you just say?!" She bellowed, "Do you think I'm stupid?!"

"Maybe. I don't know you yet." I shrugged.

Before I could even properly introduce myself, she ran off, obviously pissed.

Well, I guess that's as far as I can get around people.

After school, I woke up, only to discover that I've slept through the rest of classes. The classrooms were empty, but already cleaned.

But then I remembered something…

Carefully knocking on the door of the Student Council, I waited patiently outside with a cup of tea from the tuck shop. Sipping on the hot beverage, I was thinking on what to say to explain my tardiness when…

"Come in." Nozomi said, opening the door.

"Thank you." I said, making my way in. However…

"Ever since I made my first step in here, I feel like I'm in an aquarium." I said, "Everyone's looking at me."

"You're late." Eli said. She was looking at some documents on her desk.

"Yeah." I found a chair and sat on it. "Sorry."

"No matter." Eli said, "So, what should we talk about today?"

What…

"Excuse me…" I raised my hand, "Don't you guys have an agenda?"

"We…" Eli looked at Nozomi, in which she just shrugged, "We… Don't have one."

You have got to be kidding me.

"Well done." I said sarcastically, "I give full marks for effort and zero points for constructiveness on this… Whatever this is."

Maybe… That might be a little bit too honest.

I looked at Eli: she doesn't seem too happy about my comments.

"Then what do you suggest? Consultant." She almost spat.

"Like I said. Genius." I crossed my arms, "Get an agenda."

"I say that's enough." Nozomi said calmly, "Can you two please calm down?"

"Yeah," I said, glancing at Nozomi first then back to Eli, "You'd better calm down."

"And why is that?"

I looked at Nozomi again. She too, did not like the situation that the Student Council was in right now, but what seemed to worry her more was Eli's temper.

"Because fat lot of good, you guys are." I spat, "You guys have no idea how bad the situation is, do you?"

They all shook their heads.

"Great." I scoffed. "Just… Great."

"Because this school is closing down, and you guys are running out of time."


	3. Chapter 3: Poker Face

Ch. 3

"Huh? What do you mean, the school is closing down?" A member of the Student council asked.

"You guys don't know?" I was horrified. Such an important announcement and the Chairwoman didn't even bother to announce it?

"Not… Not that we know of…" Eli too, looked petrified.

"How do you know this?" Nozomi asked me. Obviously concerned with the matter now.

"The chairwoman told me." I looked at her.

"And she decided to tell you before telling the Student Council?" Eli said, "I find that hard to believe."

"Is it just me, or did you just not hear a thing I say?" I shook my head slightly, "Or do I smell distrust?"

"It's not that we don't trust you." Eli said coldly, "We just find it hard to believe that the school's closing."

"What's the difference?" I said, "Look around you: do you think this school is going to last for long here?"

"I am certain that is the case." Eli said arrogantly.

I might be cold, but never was I arrogant.

"You guys should take a look at those empty classrooms next time you go to class." I said furiously, "Then tell me if the school is lasting or not."

"You appear to be losing your temper, Schmidt-san." Eli said, waving her hand, "I have concluded that you are no longer fit to take part in today's meeting."

What?

"Great." I scoffed, "Just great."

"I thank you for your time, Schmidt-san." Eli said, "Now, can you please leave so that the meeting can proceed?"

"Yeah. Sure." I spat, "Good luck with the rest of your school year."

"I am sure the Student Council will do an excellent job."

I stormed out of the Student Council room and called old granny.

"What now?" She was obviously not happy.

"Your granddaughter is being a big, stubborn jackass." I said, "Remind me again of who she was too similar with?"

"What do you mean she's being a big, stubborn jackass?" She bellowed through the phone, "No one calls my granddaughter a jackass!"

Damn it.

"And you didn't even tell her the school was closing down."

"I didn't want her to worry during her reign as Student Council President."

"It's her job to worry." I snarled, "She either worries and does something about it or she's just slacking off and not doing anything."

"My cute and clever Elichika is not a slacker!" She bursted, "Unlike you!"

Great. I take the blame, again.

"And you're going to blame me for her mess?" I accused her, "And make me clean it up?"

"I didn't blame you." She said coldly, "It IS you who made this mess."

"Get out of here." I smashed the phone on the ground, breaking it in the process.

"Wow, talk about being stessed." Nozomi stood behind me, a small smirk plastered on her face.

"If you're here to taunt me, then get lost." I snarled, making her back off, her smirk dropped.

"I believe you." Nozomi said sincerely.

"Great. Just great." I threw my arms in the air, "Is it just me? Or is that sarcasm?"

"I have looked at the classrooms myself." Nozomi said sadly, "The atmosphere is… Depressing."

"I know." I took a few steps towards to her, backing her up against a wall, "And you decided to stand by and watch while that asshat president of yours kick me out."

"I didn't think Elicchi would listen, anyways." Nozomi shrugged.

"Great. Now we have an asshat president and a vice-president too chicken to say anything." I scoffed, "Well done."

I expected Nozomi to be mad at me, but she kept her cool demeanor.

"Any advice for me, then?" She asked calmly.

"Just one." I said, crossing my arms, "Be a voice of reason."

"A voice of reason?" Nozomi, obviously confused, asked.

"Being a vice president doesn't mean you follow the president's orders without question like a lap-dog." I spread my hands, "You got to have your own judgement in things…"

"Own… Judgement in things?"

"Exactly." I hissed, "You can't just let her…"

"let me what, exactly?"

"Letting you do things so recklessly and ignoring what's important!" I turned around at Eli, who had her eyebrows creased and her arms folded. "Honestly, Prez. Who taught you all this? To do things without a plan?"

"Someone that was of upmost importance to me." Eli said coldly, "He was a childhood…. Friend of mine."

Maybe to you, I was.

"Then your friend was a complete fool for not making plans before doing things." I snarled, "I bet he didn't accomplish anything for…"

Now I feel like an idiot for scolding myself.

"Apparantly, he was the exactly opposite of what you said." Eli said proudly, "He was a genius. Everything that he did was of precision and efficiency despite his flawed presentation…"

"So you tried to copy him? Replicate his every move?" I almost laughed at this point, "And it never crossed your mind that he already had a plan in mind?"

"I…" Eli was speechless.

"Didn't think so." I said. "Anyway, I've got to go home now."

"See you tomorrow, Johann-kun!" Nozomi chimed.

"Wait!" I turned around to see Eli walk up to me, "Who are you to judge?"

And you had to push me.

"Someone of the upmost unimportance." I sneered.

Rushing through the school gates, I was angry at myself.

Why, Viktor? Why do you care?

"How do I know?" I muttered to myself, "Yeah, why do I care?"

I turned into an alley, allowing the darkness created by the tall buildings of Akihabara to cover me. Pacing on the rough, concrete floor, I practiced my card sleights and cardistry, letting the different suits, numbers and face cards dance between my fingers. I was lost in my thoughts when I heard a sudden bark.

I swooped around, trying to locate where the sound came from, but I didn't see anything resembling a dog…

…Or a puppy, for my case.

I slid the cards back in the box as I slowed down my footsteps, waiting for a second bark.

Woof!

I slowly moved myself to a bunch of worn-out cardboard boxes when I heard the second bark, slowly began to realize where the source of it came from…

Among the cardboard boxes, there was one that stood out from the others. The print on it had not worn off as the others did, the edges and corners not as damaged and cut. The box could not have been here for more than a day.

Slowly removing the lid of the box, my jaw almost dropped to the floor when I saw it's contents.

There were four puppies, Labrador Retrievers to be exact. Most of them maybe only a few months old.

I picked up one of them from the box and held him in my hands awkwardly. The pup yipped happily, his tongue sticking out and tail wagging, his large, watery eyes pinned to me innocently.

"Alright then…." I looked back at him suspiciously, "What do you want?"

Happy bark.

"What, you trying to cheer me up?" I raised an eyebrow, "Not helping."

Another happy bark.

I looked at the rest of the puppies. Most of them were sleeping, but the few that were awake just stared at me peculiarly.

"Alright….." I tried to put the puppy back in the box, but it started to yelp like crazy and was struggling.

"Okay! Okay! I get it!" I immediately held him back up, "I'm just gonna call whoever's in charge of lost animals and send you guys there."

I reached for my phone in my pocket, but all I took out was a sim card.

Oh right. I smashed my phone…

I stumbled back into my apartment holding a big cardboard box, it's contents barking and yipping through my entire journey. Tipping the box over, I let the puppies out, letting them sprawl all over the living room.

"Just….Try not to break anything…" I panted as I slouched on the couch. My uniform crumpled and my hair even messier than before.

I heard a familiar bark and turned my head facing the floor. There sat the very pup that I picked up when I first found them. He just sat there, head tilted to one side, and was wagging his tail.

"Not now…." I groaned, but he only gave me a small, happy bark in response.

Honestly, I was really tired at this point, but the light in the puppy's eyes gave me a kind of strength, a kind of motivation to move on and get going. It was like replenishing energy, giving me hope and forced me to…

I reached down and picked him up, earning a few happy barks from him. Placing the youngling on my chest, I then stroked his head as he happily curled up just where I placed him.

Just when I thought that was over, the other three puppies came in front of me, all barking and prancing around.

"Oh fine." I smiled as I lifted them one by one on to my chest, letting them crawl and rest wherever they wanted. One of them proceeded to lick my face as I tried to relax. And might I say….

It tickles.

"Hey hey cut it!" I laughed, but she wouldn't stop.

"Wait…" I thought aloud, "How long have you kids not eaten?"

All the pups looked at me with pure excitement.

I once again stepped back into my apartment, even more exhausted than the previous time. Dropping my groceries and a large mat, I picked a bag of dog food and proceeded to pour it into a large plate. The pups didn't me to tell them and started munching. I myself fell straight on to the couch and drifted off for a while…

I woke up, still tired as the sun pour into my eyes, which stung.

"Alright, let's get ourselves some dinner…" I walked to my clock and looked at it. 7:30a.m.

Oh shit.

I quickly poured some dog food into the large bowl, took a quick shower, grabbed my bag, and rushed out the door.

"Well aren't you early today, Schmidt-san?" Kyoko-sensei said with a smile, "You're just on time."

"Figured as such." I smiled warily, "I missed the last bus."

I sat down and slouched my bag beside me. Just as I was about to close my eyes and take a small nap while Kyoko-sensei was talking about some class issues, a familiar sound startled me at first.

Woof.

The whole class went silent.

I slowly turned my eyes to my bag and stared. This could not be happening…

Woof!

Another bark echoed through the whole classroom.

"Schmidt-san?" Kyoko-sensei raised an eyebrow, "What's in your bag?"

Poker face. I thought. Always keep your poker face…

"Nothing. Sensei." I smiled politely, "It's just my new ringtone for messages."

"And should I remind you that phones must be switched off during classes?"

"Of course, sensei." I smiled again as I pulled open the zipper of my bag to reveal a pair of awfully large eyes looking back at me. I gave him a look that just said "You're in big trouble tonight." I flipped through my bag, but nothing could shut the pup up. However, I did find a squeaky bone toy that came with the dog food and stuffed it in his mouth.

Squeak.

The other students couldn't stop laughing as I zipped my bag back up. Out of the corner of my eye, I could also see Eli sneaking a grin and Nozomi giving me a concerned smile.

"That's… My ringtone for uh…." I thought hard, "Other notifications."

"It seems you like dogs very much." Kyoko-sensei said.

"I love dogs." I lied with a stupid grin on me, "They're my favourite kind of animal!"

"Maybe you can share your interests with the class later, but we have a schedule to catch up on."

After Kyoko-sensei left the classroom, I opened my bag quickly, scared that he might suffocate. Fortunately, he was still alive and happily chewing on the toy.

"Aww he's so cute!" A pair of hands reached into my bag and pulled him out into plain sight and started to stroke his head.

"Nozomi stop!" I snatched him back and gagged him with the toy bone, "I don't want to get in trouble!"

"But he's so cute…." Nozomi clasped her hands together, "Can I hold him a little longer please…"

She stretched her "please" so that she seemed like a little kid, her emerald orbs stared innocently at me.

"Just a little while." I sighed and handed her the puppy and she didn't wait any longer to start patting him, "Just give him back to me before class starts."

"Nozomi,what are you doing?" I froze as I heard Eli's footsteps, "Why is there a dog in class?"

"Johann-kun brought him here! He's so adorable, isn't he?" Nozomi looked up at Eli for a moment before continuing patting the puppy's head.

Eli looked at me in disbelief.

"What?" I shrugged, "It's not like I purposely brought him for show and tell."

"So that was your so-called 'ringtone'?"

I nodded.

"You do know that…" Eli crossed her arms and began loudly…

She couldn't finish her sentence as I pinned her to the wall with my right hand and covered her mouth with my left.

"Just…. Shut up damn it!" I struggled to get my words out as Eli screamed through my palm, "Just….. Oh screw this."

My right hand now sweeping through my desk, I found something, ripped off the package, and stuffed it in Eli's house.

Eli's eyes widened as I let go, a piece of dark chocolate stuffed in her mouth.

"Better?" I asked.

"This is…" Eli exclaimed, "Delicious."

"Belgium-made." I explained, grabbing another piece and stuffing it in her palm, "It's the best."

"Wait wait wait." Eli shook her head while swallowing the piece of chocolate, "Are you trying to bribe me?"

What?

"No no no." I struggled to explain as I unwrapped another piece of chocolate and stuffed it in Eli's mouth, "You just keep quiet about this and you'll be fine."

"And look at you two, quarreling like an old married couple." Nozomi smirked while petting the puppy in her arms, which was already asleep.

"We are NOT a married couple!" I exclaimed, although I heard Eli say something, it wasn't clear. Turning around, I came face to face with her still biting the chocolate bit by bit, savoring each bite.

"Aren't you going to say something?" I threw my arms in the air.

Eli finally managed to swallow the last piece of chocolate and looked at us dumbfounded.

"But it's just too good!"

"So you're a dog person?" Nozomi asked as she, Eli, and I walked out of school after the Student Council meeting with Nozomi still cradling the puppy.

"No." I grumbled, "I just happened to stumble upon them yesterday."

"Just as I predicted." Nozomi smiled.

I rolled my eyes.

"Anyway, I gotta go home now." I groaned, "The dog, if you will."

Nozomi pouted as she handed me the pup, which I took gladly.

"And you are in big trouble tonight." I perched him on my shoulder, to which he gladly slouched on.

"Onee-chan!" A girl with light-blonde hair ran to us.

"Alisa!" Eli knelt down a little to greet her little sister….

Well, she's grown a bit since the last time I saw her.

"Why is Onee-chan with a boy?" Alisa asked Eli, her eyes sparked with curiously.

Nozomi style teasing in three, two, one…

"Of course it's Elicchi's boyfriend, Alisa-chan!" Nozomi grinned mischievously.

I half expected that.

"Nozomi!" Eli blushed, "Alisa, this is Johann Schmidt-san. He's here to help out with student council affairs."

"He looks so old!" Alisa looked at me.

I know I haven't shaven for a while, but for a little kid I've known for a while to accuse me of looking old was just hilarious.

"Alisa!" Eli's blush went ten shades deeper, "Manners!"

"It's fine…" I sighed as I knelt down and came face to face with the short blonde, "But I am a year older than you two."

"You're eighteen already?!" Both Eli and Nozomi exclaimed.

"Yeah." I shrugged, "So in some way… I can be described as old."

"Wait." Alisa looked at me in the eye, "Have I seen you somewhere before?"

Do kids now have such good memory?

"How?" I laughed nervously, "We've just met."

"Onee-chan! I'm certain I've seen him somewhere before!" Alisa tugged Eli's blazer, "But I've forgotten when…"

It was the first time in three years that Eli and I locked eyes. Her sky-blue orbs pierced me like an arrow, and I returned her gaze. It was as if all sound was sucked out of the air, because it was dead silence.

"Are we done staring at each other?" I broke the awkward silence, stuffing my hands in my pockets, "Because staring with one eye hurts."

"Fair enough." Eli said, taking Alisa's hand, "I guess we should be going."

"See you at school tomorrow Elicchi!" Nozomi chimed.

"Huh? Where are you going Nozomi?" Eli raised an eyebrow.

"I have a visit to make!"

"To whom?" I asked.

"To you." Nozomi smirked, "Johann-kun."

Nozomi's POV

By the look that Johann-kun gave Elicchi and how Eli described her childhood crush to me, I think Johann-kun-or whoever the boy with the eyepatch is, has more to him than meets the eye.

"Pardon the intrusion." I said as I looked inside Johann-kun's apartment.

"Just don't trip over the rest of them." He said emotionlessly, the placid expression when I first met him still hung to his face.

"The rest of them?"

My heart almost exploded when I heard what sounded like a stampede, but three more puppies dashed out to the door, all of them looked so excited and happy.

"You kids just… keep the guest busy while I go get some food." Johann-kun lowered the puppy on his shoulder to the ground, allowing it to join it's peers.

The puppies surrounded me excitedly, to which I couldn't help but giggle at the sight where a boy… Or should I say, man, would keep four such adorable creatures.

"Dinner's ready." I heard a groan and plates settling on a wooden table.

"I'm sorry kids, but onee-chan has to eat." I laughed apologetically as I placed the pups back on the ground and joined Johann-kun at the table. The smell of steak poured into my nostrils, the scent wiggled it's way through my brain and my stomach grumbled.

"Seventy-percent done steak." Johann-kun cut up the large piece of meat that made my mouth water, "hope it isn't too far away from what you were expecting."

"Of course…not…" I mumbled under my breath, "Wait."

"What?" Johann-kun said as he took a small piece for himself.

"How do you know my favourite food?"

"Grilled meat?" He said a-matter-of-factly, "Just a wild guess."

He had said it was a wild guess, but my guess is that he knew some other way that a normal person wouldn't bother or knew how to.

"A wild guess?" I raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not psychic." He mumbled.

"Maybe you are." I smiled, but he didn't return it.

"So." Johann-kun sipped on his glass of water before continuing, "I'm guessing you're here not just for dinner?"

"Obviously not." I smirked, "I'm here to know…"

"There's nothing special about me. I can assure you that." He said expressionlessly.

How did he know I was about to ask him that?

"Everyone's special in their own way." I smiled as I took a bit of the steak, and it was very delicious for someone who did not look like the one to cook.

"So that's what you're here for? Just to tell me I'm special?" He continued, his placid expression not changing a single bit.

"No. Not really." I eyed him carefully now. He has put on a mask that seemed indestructable and invisible to the naked eye, a mask that was most well known to magicians and poker players…

The Poker face.

"If you've got something to ask, just go ahead." He seemed to relax a little, the features on his face less tense, but the mask was still there.

"I think you're wearing a persona." I said, "I think you are not the person we think you are."

Although he kept a straight composture, I saw a glint in his eyes, whether it was a glint of fear or amusement? I couldn't tell.

But I could tell that his mask worn of just a little bit

"And what makes you think that?" He chuckled a bit, but I could see that he only did so to hide the mistake in his eyes earlier.

"The way you treat the first and second years." I smiled triumphantly.

"I didn't want to look like a total douche." Johann-kun put down his fork, "I needed good relations with the underclassmen."

"So you decided to be a total douche with me and Elicchi?" I asked. Finally, this conversation is turning my way.

"Define being a douche." He said calmly, but I knew he knew that he chose the wrong words and now he's playing my game.

"That's Red Herring." I smirked, "Answer the question."

"Fallacy fallacy." He responded, "Don't you go all English Literature on me."

"Seems like you know your fallacies well."

"Of course." He smirked. Why was he smirking?

"If you were wondering what I was smirking about," Johann-kun sipped from his glass of water again, "I was wondering whether you identifying my fallacy was really useful or not."

"Red Herring…" I thought, "Is used for driving the conversation in another direction…"

Johann-kun didn't need me to realize my own mistake to start smirking. I blushed a shade of red as the smirk became a small laugh.

"Anyway!" I shook my head clear, "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you wear a persona?"

"Why do you have so many questions?"

I finally realized the fact that he didn't remove his poker face; he just switched for another one.

"As you were saying," Johann-kun placed his hand on his chin, "Why am I being a douche to you third years."

"Yeah." I was almost speechless at this point, "Why?"

"Because it's fun." He replied with a smile.

Again, just another persona to hide who he really is.

"You're lying." I said.

He raised an eyebrow at me.

"You didn't pretend to be a douche to us third years just to have fun, nor did you act nice to give a nice impression to the underclassman." I treaded my words carefully now, watching out for small changes in his facial expressions

"I have no idea what you are talking about." He said, standing up.

"You knew one of us, didn't you?" I asked, determined now.

"You must be mistaken…" A small curl at Johann's lips gave me the last bit of information I needed.

"You knew Eli, didn't you?"

"And what makes you think that?"

"It all makes sense now." I wasn't sure about what I was thinking, but I was pretty certain the path I'm treading is correct and perhaps very dangerous…

"I think you knew Elicchi since you were both kids." I looked at him in the eye, "Didn't you, Johann-kun? Or should I say…"

"Viktor Ivanov-san?"

His mask broke at last, Poker faces all gone. It was just him and me now, and I have no idea what I have just gotten myself into.


	4. Chapter 4: Partners in Crime

Ch. 4

"Who?" He looked amused, but his attempts at covering his nervousness were futile.

"Viktor-kun…" I mused as I smiled at my victory, "There is no need to pretend anymore."

Slowly, his smile dropped, his eyes that glinted with mishief died out, leaving an empty glare. The temperature around him dropped several degrees as he twirled his dinner knife in his left hand.

"And so you've found out." He sighed, "I should've known to be careful around you."

"Why are you keeping it a secret?" I was confused, "Don't you know that Elicchi has…"

Viktor raised an eyebrow.

"…Looked up to you for a while?" I felt chills as I nearly told him a secret that Elicchi told me not to even tease about.

"That. I know." He continued to twirl the knife in his hand.

"Then why don't you just tell her who you are?" I asked.

"I wanted her to focus on the tasks at hand first." He put down the knife, picked up his fork, and started to twirl it instead.

"And she became too much like me."

Huh?

"Too much… like you?"

"Cold. Shut-off to most people." He looked away from me.

So how he treats Elicchi and I wasn't a persona… The way he treats the underclassmen was.

"But I thought…"

"I know. It's hard to imagine someone that mean can have such nice qualities as a person."

"You really are one of the more interesting people I've met in my life."

"You were really trying to say I am the most interesting, but you didn't because you didn't want to flatter me."

"And now you've earned it." I smirked.

"I'm honored…." He said a-matter-of-factly, but he held back at what seemed to be a smirk.

"Especially from a girl who's parents move from town to town and has transferred schools so many times that she didn't bother to make any friends until she arrived at Otonokizaka."

How does he…

"For someone staying in Tokyo, you speak the Kansai dialect pretty well, which can allow me to believe that you stayed in the Kansai region for a fair amount of time, preferrably your childhood, but given that you know the area pretty well, I can also assume you have stayed here for a certain amount of time."

"That's… Pretty impressive…" I was complimenting him, but I couldn't even force a smile on my face.

"You have learnt a lot during your journeys and know the worst bits of loneliness because you change schools all too frequently."

I was lost for words. Elicchi once told me that he has exceptionally good perception and observation skills, but I didn't know he was so good at it that small bits about me could give away that much to him…

"But you wanted to blend in quickly with your peers even though you knew you had to transfer frequently…" He continued, putting down his fork and stretched a bit on his chair, "So you learnt the art of fortune telling…"

"True, I have learnt to use a deck of Tarot cards to tell the futures of my classmates…"

"But that's not it…" He seemed to suddenly remember something and whatever it was that he remembered stopped him from containing his smirk.

"What do you mean?"

"I think you and I both know there is no such thing as real magic and fortune telling." His smile was cold, observing and calculating every move that I was trying to make and every word I was planning on speaking.

"I have to say, even I didn't notice your false shuffles whe I first met you at the shrine."

No… That can't be…. He couldn't possibly know…

"Tarot cards never tell the future, the fortune teller does." He took out a deck of Tarot Cards and set them on the deck, but unlike mine, the back of his cards are black, and the patterns on them had a very Gothic look.

"Now, allow me to demonstrate what a typical fortune telling does." Viktor shuffled the deck and even did a few fancy moves with the cards that were very pleasing to the eye.

"Ask me a question." He riffled the cards, "Any question."

"Hmm…." He actually got me thinking for a while, but I knew of one that would certainly throw him off.

"What would be the relationship of you and Elicchi be in the near future?"

I saw his smirk drop and a series of mumbles under his breath, but he continued anyway.

"Since the three card reading involves the past and we are talking about the near future and now, I will be doing a two card reading."

"Whatever suits your fancy." I smirked.

Watching him shuffle the cards once again, he pulled two cards from the top and set them on the table.

"For me and Eli?" He turned over the first card.

"How about Lovers?"

My eyes widened as he layed the Lovers gently on the table.

"And for the future…" He gave the second card a snap of his fingers.

"How about… The Ten of Cups?"

He then placed the now turned over Ten of Cups on top of the Lovers.

"Now you might be thinking that Eli and I will be married in the near future." Viktor-kun picked up the two cards with one hand and placed his other hand over them.

"But I can tell you that it is impossible."

With a gentle rub, he opened his hands again, but they were empty, the cards seemingly vanishing from thin air.

Wait… How did he…

"I'm a magician." He said, squaring the rest of the cards in a neatly fashion, "I know sleight of hand better than you do."

"I have to admit that I had to use some trickery to force some cards for my Tarot reading." I said defensively, "But I do believe in magic and miracles."

"And that is where you are wrong." He said, waving his hand with his palm facing me in a hypnotic fashion.

"Because magic and miracles do not exist."

As the waving of his hand became faster, I noticed something materialized from his seemingly empty palm….

The cards!

"I know, seems pretty awesome." He bent the two cards a little and stuffed them in his deck, riffling it after he had done so, "But it's all fake."

"How long have you been practicing this?" I took the deck from his hands and examined it, checking it for gimmicks, "Where do you even learn this from?"

"From the best." Viktor-kun snatched the deck back from my hands and slid it back in its box, "And don't even think about getting me to tell you how it's done."

"Of course not!" I giggled, "It's magic!"

I heard him grumble something under his breath, and I was almost sure that it was something rude.

"You annoy me."

"You entertain me." I placed my index finger on my chin, "And I have certainly learned a lot from you today."

"You are certainly not welcome." He sneered.

"Why the mean, scary face all the time?" I took a step forward towards him, a mischievious, little plan forming in my mind, "Why act like a wolf when you're actually a husky?"

"I was never a husky!" Viktor-kun said defensibly. However, with every step I took, he took a step back. His head began to turn away from me, avoiding eye contact…

Is it just me….. Or is this teenage boy, this mean, manipulative slacker who could read anyone within a few minutes in front of me…..

…Flustered?

"You'd better stop….closing up on me…" He stuttered, backing against a wall, "You have no idea what things….I can do…"

"I think I have a pretty good idea of the things you can do…" I placed my right palm on the wall, just below his left shoulder. I could hear his breathing speed up, his facial features tense; I ran my other hand reached under his chin, allowing the stubble to scratch the surface of my palm.

"You should shave, you know?" I traced my hand up to his left cheek, which was surprisingly smooth, contrasting the rough, pricky sensation of his unshaven chin.

"Sh….Shut up." He almost whimpered, "Who are you to tell me what to do?"

"Feels new, doesn't it?" I edged a little closer, allowing my chest to come in contact with him, to which he winced.

"To have a girl this close-up to you?"

"No. It's just…" He tried to push me away, but recoiled as his hands touched my shoulders, "I've been…out of practice for a while."

What?

"Out of…practice?"

"I need time to….adjust." He creased his eyebrows and shrugged a few times, almost as if he was actually "adjusting" to this intimate distance between the two of us.

He's just looking for excuses, I thought. He couldn't possibly…

Only then had I realized it was too late: Viktor managed to slip his arm around my waist and twirled me around, pinning me to the wall. My heart raced faster and faster as his face came closer and closer until I could only see his hazel eye glistering at me with danger and a slight sense of mischief.

"Told you…" he tilted his head a little to the left, his free hand stroking my cheek, "Adjustment period."

"Viktor….kun…" I shivered as he caressed my cheek gently, "How….. Bold…."

I never got to finish the sentence as he took a breath and playfully exhaled into my right ear, the tickling sensation made a small moan escape from my lips.

"Two can play at this game, sweetheart." He smirked, but this wasn't his typical, smug smirk he used to taunt and sarcastically remark at others…

It was alive, so full of energy that could seduce any girl into falling in love with him; but it was lazy at the same time, giving off the impression of someone who was having a great dream. However, the smirk would not have worked its magic without his eye: it was only glistering before, but now it was literally shining with confidence that even the most skeptical sensei would trust him to have completed his work even when he did nothing. Although his right eye was covered with a black eye-patch, it did not kill the impression, giving him a vicious and mysterious vibe to his appearance.

"You know…." I managed to throw out a few words, "Staring at a girl for too long is considered rude…here in Japan.."

"As is any civilized country." He cooed, pulling back a little, but his hand was still around my waist, his other hand moving slowly to the back of my head.

"But I'm not from Japan."

With that, he began to edge closer to me, his eye began to close and he pulled me even closer to him.

Oh God…. Is he going to kiss me?

"Wait! It's my first…" I tried to wrestle my way out of his grip, but it just made him grip tighter, "You can't just…"

I felt a slight bit of moist on my left cheek.

"I have my bottom lines." Viktor was still holding on to me, but the giddiness in his eyes died out, replaced with a cold but slightly arrogant glare.

"As expected." I finally let out a small smirk.

"So what does this make us?" Viktor let me go and crossed his arms, "Since we both know each other's 'dirty secrets'."

"Hmmmm…" I wondered, "Maybe…."

Partners in Crime?

"I like that, partners in crime." Viktor scoffed a little, "Forced partners in crime."

"So do you trust me now?" I asked.

"No."

"Why?!"

"We're all tricksters." Viktor took out a deck of playing cards and started shuffling, "I know what tricksters do."

"I'm not a trickster!"

"We're partners in crime, and people call me a Trickster." Viktor sprung the cards from one hand to another, "So you're a trickster now."

"I'm not…"

"You work with me, suck it up."

"Fine!"

"Thank you… Partner."

Viktor

"Good morning, Johann-kun!" Nozomi chimed, her smile ever-so present.

"Mornin…" I grumbled under my breath, tossing my bag to the corner of the classroom.

"Had a good night's sleep?"

"Kind of."

"How are the kids?"

"Fed them this morning." I slouched in my chair, loosening my tie, "They should shut up for a while."

"Good morning, Schmidt-san."

"To hell with you."

"Excuse me?"

"Please…" I lazily closed my eyes as Eli stood at my desk, arms crossed, "I don't want any conversations with you to ruin my day."

"You started this first."

"And I don't care." I waved her off lazily, "Just bugger off so I can get some sleep…"

"For God's Sake Eli!" I nearly fell off my chair as Eli slammed my desk with her palms, producing a deafening bang that rattled me from my drowsy state.

"Please mind your attitude, Schmidt-san." Eli said seriously, her palms stuck to my desk, "The school does not allow attitudes…"

"I don't care." I stood up and looked down at her, "What are you going to do, report me?"

"If that's a must…" Eli's voice trembled.

I looked at Nozomi, who motioned me to look at Eli's hands.

I looked at her palms, and I didn't need professional opinion to know that smack hurt like hell.

I gave Nozomi a look that said 'I am not massaging her palms to make her feel better.'

Nozomi gave me a look that said 'please please please please please~"

Fine. I sighed.

"Give me." I took her hands.

"Wait…" Eli tried to take back her hands, but I gripped her wrists firmly.

"You can be so silly sometimes, you know…." I gently caressed her palms, massaging them delicately, "You didn't need to smack a dead object to grab my attention."

"You were being rude!" Eli said defensively.

"And you had to be stupid."

"That's not the point!"

"Then what is?"

"You hurt my palms…" Eli looked at me then at her palms, a slight dust of pink on her cheeks, "It's all your fault…."

Girls can be so sentimental sometimes….

Remember, you're here to make her better. I thought as I continued to rub her palms as gently as possible.

"I'm sorry." I looked away from Eli and mumbled the phrase under my breath.

"Awww… You two are just so sweet!"

I swear to God…

"What?!" I glared at Nozomi, who had switched to a mischievous grin.

"Look at you two, quarreling like a married couple."

"WE ARE NOT MARRIED!" I face-palmed, "How many times do I have to…"

"Then why are you two still holding hands?" Nozomi smirked.

Wait….

I looked back Eli, whose face was a deep scarlet; I was still holding her hands, subconsciously massaging them while I turned to talk to Nozomi.

 _"I thought they hated each other…"_

 _"That was what I thought!"_

 _"I guess he's not so mean after all…"_

"I never thought you'd have a soft side." Eli puffed her cheeks.

"I don't." I quickly let go of her hands and hid mine behind my back, "Well…"

"Johann-kun is blushing!"

"I AM NOT!"

"He's denying it~" Nozomi teased.

"I AM NOT…" I put my hands to my cheeks…

Warm, slightly hot as if I had a fever.

Wow. That's a new feeling.

"Am I really…" I turned around to face Eli, whose eyes were wide in surprise.

"Schmidt-san's face…" She stuttered.

"Don't tell me…"

"So…"

"Please tell me I'm not…"

"I never thought you would be so cute when you blush."

My mind went blank.

Poker face. I thought hard, Poker face…

"Well…" I scratched the nape of my neck, "umm…."

I was thinking of another reply, but those two words just spilled out of mouth before I could stop myself.

"Thank you." My voice was weak, almost as if it were girly.

This whole conversation just went wrong in so many directions…

"Schmidt…. Johann-san…"

Did she just address me by my first name?

"Yes?" I looked her all confused.

"You look confused…" Eli said quietly.

"Really?" I replied blankly, looking into Eli's sky-blue orbs. "That's new."

"Have you ever…."

"No." I replied quickly.

"I didn't even finish my…"

"No."

"But…."

"No."

I ran out of the classroom.

I sat on the roof, letting the sun scorch me. My heart was racing, my breathing hastened; taking off my eye patch, I let the sunlight pour into the hollow socket, feeling its warmth for the first time in years.

I'm confused. I thought, I've never been confused before.

All these new emotions… These new feelings…

"I thought you'd be here."

I hastily covered my right eye and scrambled across the floor, turning to face a certain blonde.

"What?" I sneered.

"I just want to talk."

"No way." I said.

I turned around to put my eye patch back on, but Eli grabbed my arm, preventing me from doing so.

"What do you think you are doing?" I covered my right eye with my free hand and turned around to face her.

"Finding out who you really are."

"This is me." I said bitterly, "The one and only."

"But that time when we were in the classroom…"

"I made a mistake." I growled, "I shouldn't have…"

"That's the first mistake I've seen you admit."

What did she say?

"But you've been right about almost everything since I've met you."

"Huh?"

"I mean… I thought about a lot of stuff after the last Student Council meeting." Eli said earnestly, "Maybe you were right all the time."

"So?"

"You win this time."

"I always win." I subconsciously smirked and patted Eli on the head.

Oh shoot…

Eli looked at me shocked. She was grabbing my left arm and I patted her head with my right…

…. Leaving my right eye exposed.

"How did that…" Eli let my arm go, pointing at my right eye, "How are you even…"

"The arrow that did this didn't have enough force to puncture my brain." I explained, slowly putting my eye patch back on, "Lucky, huh?"

"And the thing you just did…"

"What thing?"

Oh… That thing…

"Uhhh…" I stuttered, "That was..."

"I once knew someone who did this." Eli looked at me peculiarly, "He was…"

"Someone of upmost importance to you?"

"Yes."

"I am not that person, if that's what you're thinking." I said quickly.

"I never said you were."

I'm just getting more and more careless now, am I?

"Just saying." I put my hands in my pockets and started to walk towards the door.

"Wait." She suddenly said.

I stopped in my tracks and turned around to face her again. My heart raced and my breathing hastened.

"What now?" I asked, annoyed.

"Who are you?" Eli walked up to me, her sky-blue orbs pinning me down, "Why do you seem so… familiar?"

It was as if a line of defense to my secret was broken: the walls crumpling to the ground, the trenches that once protected it rushed down by such a simple question, a question so simple yet so powerful and destructive that left me speechless.

"I'm just some guy." I smiled wryly, but the smile itself was trembling.

"But I'm sure I've seen you somewhere before…" Eli closed up to me, her torso dangerously close, "It's a gut feeling that…"

"Probably just Déjà vu," I shrugged off her statement, but my feet were already preparing to walk through the door.

"Oh." Eli said blankly, "Must have…"

"You must be tired." I said, walking down the stairs.

"Wait!"

"What now?!" I was halfway down the stairs. Looking up, I faced her the last time before school ended.

"Can you come to the Student Council meeting today?"

"Like you needed to ask." I waved and continued down the stairs.


	5. Chapter 5: Placebo Effect

Ch.5

Author's note: So sorry about my last upload, i didn't realise it was all code lol!

Eli

He just seemed so familiar….

Not the fact that he was being a jerk or anything, but it was just him: the way he sits, the way he talks and the way he petted my head….

"Elicchi?" I snapped out of my trance as Nozomi tapped me on the shoulder, "The meeting is about to start."

"Oh.." I sat straight and faced the rest of the Student Council composed of just six more members including Nozomi…

"Where's Schmidt-san?" I asked.

"And I thought you were calling him by his first name already?" Nozomi grinned mischievously.

"I did not…" My face heated up at her statement, "I was just…"

"Hora hora~" Nozomi's grin only got bigger as I tried to explain, "Elicchi…"

"So let's all have fun and do nothing." Johann-kun was at the door with his arms crossed, a smug look plastered to his face, "I guess that's all you people are good for."

"Jo…Schmidt-san!" I stood up, almost bumping into Nozomi.

That idiot is late for fifteen minutes…

"Well aren't you excited." Nozomi smirked.

"Anyway!" I glared at her, and then back at Johann, "You're late."

"I was…. busy." Johann sighed, "Any progress made?"

My mind went blank.

I looked at Nozomi, who had a look that said 'oops'.

"Nothing?" Johann rolled his eyes and strolled in, "Well, I didn't expect anything more."

"Then what do you expect?" I asked, annoyed.

"Where's your agenda?" He walked by the files, his slim fingers brushing through them.

"We…." I stuttered.

"Don't have one." Johann picked up one of the files and scanned through it, "I think I got that message pretty clear last time."

"Sorry." I muttered almost under my breath, expecting a full-out scolding from him.

"Doesn't matter."

Huh?

"Pardon me?" I was confused. This wasn't his typical way of responding to situations like this…

"I said it doesn't matter." Johann repeated himself and put the file back into the pile, "We'll build a foundation from here."

Did he just…

I looked at Nozomi. To my surprise, she remained calm, her purple pigtails swayed gently to the wind from the open window. Her green eyes sparked with confidence and a small sense of pride.

"Nozomi…" I whispered to my confidant, but my eyes were still following the brown-haired, raggedy Johann, who was taking out all the files and placing them on my desk.

"I did nothing." Nozomi simply said, but the rise of the upper corner of her lips gave away the lie, "I guess the Gods have answered my prayers, then."

"You visited his apartment last night!"

"He told me to go away." Nozomi pouted, "In terms best described as rude."

"Then what happened to him?!"

"I don't know." Nozomi watched as the files on my desk began to pile, "Maybe it's just him."

"There's no way he just changes like that!" I puffed my cheeks; "He was such a jerk yesterday!"

"And you'd prefer him that way?"

Well obviously not!

"Of course not!" I exclaimed, "Why would anybody prefer a smart jerk over…"

"Over who?" Nozomi had that grin on her face again.

"Over someone who is less a jerk!" I pouted. Turning my gaze back at my desk…

"All of the old files are all scrambled up." Johann said almost emotionlessly, "Everything's a mess."

"We didn't have the time to…"

"Let's just start with these." Johann interrupted me and started to distribute the files to the members of the Student Council, "Just put them in chronological order and you'll be fine."

Nozomi didn't need Johann to ask twice and started rearranging the files.

"You too, Eli." Johann put a pile of files neatly in front of me, "These are just the financial records, they should be relatively easy to arrange."

"Oh…. Okay…" I stuttered, looking through the files.

I started to look for the dates on the files: as old as the school itself, the files were from the previous dozens of Student Councils, the words imprinted on the papers were ancient and wearing off already; the papers themselves were dyed a dirty yellow, with stains of either tea or coffee on some corners.

"Schmidt-san…" I turned to look at Johann.

"Seriously, you need to get me a couch next time." Johann's head was buried in the files; the sounds of flipping pages echoed through the room, his fingers brushed through the files, allowing the pages to slide and fall at an extraordinary speed. His eye followed the pages, scanning through the ink on paper; when he finished scanning through a file, he'd put it aside and start with another.

"A…couch?"

"I get tired." He stacked a dozen files together and started scanning again.

"And where do you think we get the money?" I looked at him in disbelief.

"I'll pay. You just have to give me permission to put it in this room."

"What…"

"I'll just take that as a yes." Johann put a huge chunk of files on my desk.

"What's that?" I asked, looking at the large pile of dust-covered folders.

"All meeting records from the 90s to the last Student Council." Johann said as-a-matter-of-factly.

"But I just started…" I looked at the small stack of files that I just tidied up, "How did you…"

"Everyone works at different paces." Johann picked up half of my enormous pile of files and sat down at his chair again, "Don't worry about me, just work at your own speed."

"O…Okay…" I stuttered and started to look through the records again.

"Seems different, doesn't he?"

"So different that it scares me." I whispered to Nozomi, who was sitting next to me, "I expected less from him."

"Well, I have to say that he is definitely full of surprises." Nozomi smiled, "More surprises than anyone I've ever met."

"At least I didn't expect him to be a workaholic." I stared at the one-eyed male who was flipping through old records with lightening speed.

"I'd say that he's just being serious for once."

"Him? Serious?" I could almost laugh at that statement, "How is someone like him…"

"Look at him and tell me what you see." Nozomi said calmly.

"I see a one-eyed teenage…"

"Tell me the deeper things you see."

I stared at him for a fair amount of time: his scruffy, brown hair gave him a raggedy appearance, his unshaven face and the eye patch gave him the illusion of a old pirate, giving off a dangerous vibe. His other eye, however, looked different than what I saw from the days I had to deal with him…

His eye usually sparked of laziness and apathy that would make people mistake him for a delinquent; as of now, it sparked with confidence and a small hint of seriousness as if he knew about everything and had a plan all along…

"You should get some sleep," Johann came up to me, his hand waving gently in my face, "You're tired."

"I'm fine," I laughed slightly at his little 'hypnotization', "I'm just a little sleepy…"

"Viktor!" I ran after the tall boy in the corridors with my book about necklace making.

"I don't have the time!" He yelled back, pacing faster than before.

"Viktor-kun!" I managed to dash past him and stopped him in his tracks, holding the large book in front of myself, "Teach me!"

"Look, I don't have the time, kid." Viktor-kun ruffled his hair into a bird's nest; "I've got lots of stuff on my plate right now…"

"I need to make a necklace for granny's birthday." I said, holding the book close to my chest, "I want to make one for her as a surprise…"

"At your own time, then." Viktor said coldly, his hazel eyes sharp as razors.

"Awww…. Not even the kids could get a single bit of warmth out of you?" I felt a pair of arms wrap around me and a chin rested on the top of my head. I looked up to see a beautiful redhead whose hair was tied in a ponytail.

"Hard to imagine anyone who could, Natasha." Viktor put his hands in his pockets and hunched his back a little, "And remind me if I'm wrong, but I believe you have unfinished duties as a Student Council President?"

"I just finished debriefing the Activities Department," Natasha smiled, letting me go, "They're all ready to go."

"Good." Viktor seemed to be lost in thought for a while, "What about the Finance Department?"

"They're still working on the budget." Natasha replied.

"Then go help them out." Viktor yawned a little, "The Council needs you very much."

"I think they need you more than me when it comes to numbers and risks, though." Natasha smirked, "After all, not many people in here have the brains nor the guts to win complete commanding power over the School Festival from the principal through a game of chess."

"A game of…chess?" I looked at the redhead curiously.

"He even gave up his queen in the first five moves!" Natasha exclaimed, "I thought he had lost his mind for a moment!"

"It was the best strategy for me to move the queen from F5 to C8." Viktor sighed, "I didn't give it up on purpose."

"But you won only using three pawns and a knight!"

"Three pawns and a knight?" My jaw dropped in disbelief.

"In some sense, yes." Viktor took out a deck of playing cards and started shuffling, "Well…."

"Yet he never tells anyone about it!"

"I swear I will murder you myself if you keep on going…" Viktor grunted.

"You would never do that!" Natasha stepped forward and started to pinch his cheeks.

I thought Viktor was going to push her back, but he stood still, letting Natasha play around with his face as if it were clay.

"What do you want now…" Viktor rolled his eyes.

"Oh my dear Vice-President..." Natasha looked at him as if she were looking at a cute puppy, "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to help out cute little girls for once in a while, would it?"

"Not like I've done it before."

"That's not true!" Natasha pouted, "You've helped me out countless times…"

"Have you even looked in the mirror lately?" Viktor said haughtily, "And I'm only helping you because I'm doing my job."

"You're so mean!" Natasha prodded Viktor's cheeks, earning a small grunt from him.

"I don't care." Viktor finally got Natasha's hands off his face, "You and I both have jobs to do."

"Take a break, Viktor." Natasha smiled wryly, "You've been working too hard."

I looked at Viktor once again. The dark circles under his eyes had become more and more obvious. His school uniform was crumpled and his tie hung loosely at his collar, his hair was greasy and as messy as a bird's nest.

"What time did you sleep last night?" I asked him.

"None of your business." He replied coldly.

"Hey! That's not the way to talk to the underclassmen!" Natasha exclaimed, "You're the Vice-President! Show some respect!"

Viktor sighed.

"Then what do you suppose I do?" He asked, again with the haughty tone.

"Help her." Natasha took the book from me and held it in front of him, "For once, Viktor, show some compassion."

Viktor stared at the huge book for a while. He then looked at Natasha, who did not look like she was joking at all.

"Fine." He grunted and took the book from her.

"So, what kind of necklace are you trying to make?" Natasha knelt down until she was eye-level with me.

"I…" I stuttered.

"She'd probably be thinking about making one out of small glass beads." Viktor interrupted.

"Viktor!" Natasha stood up, "Let the girl finish…"

"He's right." I shrunk a little into my shoulders, "I wanted to make a necklace out of glass beads because it looks beautiful."

Natasha sighed.

"He does that all the time, doesn't he?" Natasha patted my head gently, "Always one step ahead."

I nodded slightly and looked at Viktor again. He was already flipping through the book at lightening speed, his hazel eyes scanning the pages like machines.

"The necklace you're making has a five-star difficulty." Viktor closed the book and looked at me, "It's not quite possible to…"

"Just help the girl damn it!" Natasha grabbed Viktor's collar.

"I suppose it's okay since it's too hard…" I smiled wryly, but my heart felt like it was clenched.

"That's a ton of nonsense." Natasha wouldn't let him go, "His craftsmanship is one of the best in Moscow!"

"I only fix broken toys for little kids." Viktor said coldly, "The parents pay me a decent amount for each repair."

"She's your stepsister for God's sake!" Natasha almost screamed, "Can't you just be nice for once?"

"I'm nobody's stepbrother." Viktor snarled, "I didn't even choose to be adopted in the first place."

"Natasha…" I tugged her sleeve, "It's okay…"

"It's not." Natasha said.

"Look, even Eli doesn't want me to…"

The sickening sound of Natasha's palm meeting Viktor's cheek echoed through the corridors. Natasha stood there, her breathing deepened and hastened as she calmed herself down.

"You didn't used to be like this, Viktor." She whimpered, "You were so kind…so gentle…"

"Then the Viktor back then is dead." Viktor gently caressed his cheek, fixing his jaw, "Along with everything he had."

He left, ignoring everyone who was staring at us.

"What happened to him?" I asked, slightly trembling.

"His parents happened." Natasha stared at the leaving boy, "Some guy's mom and dad dies and he just becomes so bitter and hateful."

"You said he used to be so kind and gentle…" I looked at her curiously, "What was he like?"

"He was happy." Natasha gently rubbed my head, "A soul so..."

"He seems….so different…" I sighed.

"His personality might have changed for the worst." Natasha put her hands in her blazer pockets, "But his wits and intelligence haven't changed at all."

"His intelligence?"

"Smartest guy I've ever dated." Natasha said, playing with her ponytail causally, "Knew his way around so many things!"

"Are you two…. dating?" My face reddened at her statement.

"Still are." Natasha creased her eyebrows, "But he's changed too much."

"How?"

"He used to be so charming," Natasha sighed at her own words, "So caring and sweet…"

"Hard to imagine…" I tried to imagine a kind and funny Viktor, but it was too hard for I only knew him after.

"He was also the best kisser I've met!"

If I had a mouth full of water, I would have spat it all over the place.

"Natasha…" I coughed, "Is it really…"

"Honestly! I have no idea where he picks all this from!" Natasha's face was a slight pink, "He just does it so well…"

"Does what?"

Natasha and I both jumped at Viktor, who was standing behind us with his back against the windows and his arms crossed.

"When did you get there?!" Natasha's jaw was on the ground.

"Just now?" Viktor raised an eyebrow.

"Where were you?!"

"Just finished helping out at the Finance Department." Viktor tossed a folder to Natasha, "They've got the budget figured out now."

"That was like five minutes!"

"One can do a lot in five minutes." Viktor glanced at me.

"How much?"

"Take making necklaces for an example." Viktor tossed a small box to me.

I caught the box and opened it: inside sat a necklace made out of glass beads of different colors.

"It's… beautiful…" I took the necklace out and examined it.

"Should fit your granny pretty well." Viktor put his hands in his pockets, "Just tell her you made it and she'll be happy for a while."

"But it was you who made this…"

"Not like she would believe it." Viktor scoffed.

"But…"

"No 'buts'." Viktor patted my head gently, but his eyes felt like razors.

"How on earth did you memorize a ten-page instruction on how to make the hardest necklace in this book?!" Natasha was looking at my book, her eyes almost dropping out of their sockets.

"By reading?" Viktor shrugged.

"That was ten pages!"

"It's just trying to understand each step." Viktor sighed.

"And where did you get the materials?"

"I stole some from the Arts and Crafts classroom."

"Now now…being a naughty boy again, are we?" Natasha closed up to Viktor, her arms wrapping around his waist, "Sounds like we need some punishment for you?"

My nose was close to bleeding just by hearing Natasha's words.

"And what do you propose?" Viktor remained emotionless.

"You know what I want…" Natasha said playfully.

Viktor didn't need Natasha to finish her sentence as his lips covered hers.

His kisses were passionate and hot, his right hand reaching up to Natasha's face, caressing her cheeks gently. Natasha's hands were busy too, as they roamed around his back, feeling his skin under his shirt.

"Guys…" My face was a deep scarlet as the other students in the corridor started to chant and cheer like wild animals, "I don't think…"

Viktor released Natasha immediately and straightened his tie.

"Aww… Why did you stop?" Natasha pouted, her tongue slightly sticking out.

"Because people are watching?" Viktor rolled his eyes, "Anyways, I've got stuff to do, see you around."

Natasha gave Viktor a small peck on the cheek before he left us once again.

"Don't you feel embarrassed when doing this in public?" I tugged Natasha's sleeve slightly.

"With him?" Natasha smirked, "Worth it."

"How….bold…"

"Anyways." Natasha turned to me, "We should toast to that kiss."

What?!

"Let me get my purse…." She reached for her right pocket, "Wait…"

"What?" I asked.

"He's done it again…" Natasha groaned, "That sneaky…"

"Done what?"

"That's the thirteenth time this week!" She continued rambling, "I swear I'll rip him to shreds the next time he does that!"

"Natasha!" I tugged her sleeve harder, "What's wrong?"

"He swiped my wallet from me!" Natasha stomped her feet, "While we were kissing!"

"That's not possible…" I giggled, "You must have left it somewhere."

"I would think so if I were dating some normal guy," Natasha sighed, "but this is Viktor Ivanov that we're talking about."

"What about him?" I asked.

"He's the devil, that one." Natasha gave a small laugh, "Always up to no good."

"I thought you said he was kind and gentle!"

"Kind and gentle, yes." Natasha smirked, "but the most mischievous of them all."

"Him? Mischievous?"

"Trust me, Eli." She reached for her other pocket, "Viktor has more than a few ideas on either how to dazzle you or how to mess around with you."

"What's the difference?"

"When he starts to dazzle you, he's a magician." Natasha took out a piece of gum from her pocket.

"And when he messes around?"

"He's earned a reputation and a name for that." Natasha chewed on the piece of gum.

"He never told me."

"They called him the Trickster." Natasha looked out of the window.

"Why do they call him that?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

"Hey, wake up."

I opened my eyes slowly, letting the light enter my pupils.

"Nozomi?"

"She's gone back for shrine duties." Johann was putting all the files back in order, "The meeting's been over for at least half an hour already."

What?

"Why didn't you wake me up?" I rubbed my eyes and sat straight, "I still have work to…"

"You're not well-rested." Johann put a aluminum can in front of me, "Drink up, you'll recover better."

I took the can and drank from it: the sweet scent of chocolate filled my mouth as I gulped down the liquid. I was thirsty after the nap, so I drank all of it quickly in a few gulps.

"Not bad, huh?" Johann opened a can of tea and proceeded to drink from it.

"This is…..good." I looked at the empty aluminum can of chocolate milk I just drank from.

"Anyways, everyone's gone." Johann looked outside the window, "We should get going."

"Just let me pack up…" I stumbled a bit from my seat.

"All done." Johann put my bag in front of me.

How does he….

"Thank you…" I said blankly, taking my bag, "Shall we?"

"After you."

Johann and I walked out of the school gates into the orange sunset.

I stole a glance at him: he kept his solemn expression; his messy hair, uniform, and unshaven face gave him a very tired look; the seriousness and confidence in his eye died out, replaced with a lazy and fatigued vibe.

"Johann-kun…" I turned to him, trying to make conversation.

"Huh?" He replied lazily.

"Where are you heading now?" I asked.

"Home." His reply was short.

"What are you having for dinner?"

"I don't know." He ruffled his hair, making it messier than before; "I'll probably get myself some groceries on my way back."

"You know how to cook?"

"I've got a few tricks up my sleeve."

"You sure know a lot of things…"

"I just learn along the way."

"How did you arrange the files so fast?"

"By reading?" Johann shrugged.

 _"_ _By reading?" Viktor shrugged._

"That was all the meeting records from the 90s until the last council meeting!"

"It's just arranging them in chronological order." Johann sighed.

 _"_ _It's just trying to understand each step." Viktor sighed._

Is it just me? Or…

"What do you know about necklace making?" I suddenly asked.

Johann answered me with a shrug on one shoulder.

"Never done it before." He said.

Must have been Déjà vu, then.

We continued to walk down the pavement, the sun already set by now, the dark streets were illuminated by the dim street lamps. The sound of bugs in the bushes broke the silence of the night, they're chirping echoing throughout the dark alleyways.

I looked at Johann once again: the moonlight reflected off his face, giving him an even paler look; the dark circles under his left eye became more obvious, which made him look like someone who has not slept well in years. Both the laziness and fatigued vibe in his eye was replaced with pain, sorrow, and sadness.

"You know that staring at someone for too long is considered rude, right?"

"No…" I stammered, a small fever cooking up in my cheeks, "You look….so sad…."

"I'm just tired after a day's work." He yawned, stretching his arms, "I need rest."

"I think the dark circle under your eye explains everything."

"It does, doesn't it?" Johann smirked.

"It's funny you can see so clearly with only lamp posts to light our way."

I was scared of the dark when I was a little child, and I still am now. Back then I had grandma to protect me from the nightmares that emerge from the darkness, but walking now even in the protection of light sent chills down my spine.

"Johann…" I forced a smile, "Can we take another route?"

"Huh?" Johann raised an eyebrow, his smirk still present.

"I mean…" I tried to hide my embarrassment in the night, "It seems safer on the main street…"

"We're taking the short cut since you took a little nap." Johann said, looking for turns and twists among the road.

"Well…." I stammered, trying my best to stay in the light, "I don't have very good eyesight when I'm in the dark…"

"It's alright." Johann put his hands in his pockets, "Everyone's scared of something."

"I'm not scared!" I said in defense, "It's just…"

I never got to finish my sentence as Johann pulled me closer to him. As my shoulder touched his, I could distinguish a faint scent of lavender, giving off a safe and relaxing atmosphere. His body was warm, and I could hear his faint breathing as we took each step together.

"Johann…" I blushed, "There's no need…"

"Relax." Johann said gently, his hand soothing my hair, "I'm here."

Again… Why does this seem so familiar….

"Granny… I'm scared…" I clung to granny's arm for my life, "Please don't leave me…"

"Of course not!" Granny held on to me tightly, "Not in a million years!"

Granny and I were taking the two boys she just adopted back home. The wide, empty streets left barren in the dead of night, the only thing left to illuminate the cold, merciless pathways were the street lampposts that flashed from time to time.

"Granny~" The shorter boy whined, "When are we getting back?"

"Very soon, Vladimir." Granny turned and smiled at the boy, "Very soon."

Vladimir had nicely combed dark brown hair, his bangs swiped to the left, almost covering his eye. His eyes generated a childish glee. His face had a slight red tint to it, giving the impression of a well-rested, energetic boy.

I then looked at the other one…

He had the same brown hair as his younger brother, but it was as messy as a bird's nest. His eyes reflected pain and sorrow, shining in the unforgiving, freezing streets of Moscow. The dark circles under his eyes weren't obvious, but when the street lamps shined on him, it made his face paler, contrasting the now-present shadows under his hazel orbs.

He was fiddling with a deck of cards. His fingers maneuvered through and around the deck, lifting small stacks of cards and moving them between his hands, the different suits, numbers, and face cards dancing among his hands.

"What are you looking at?" He suddenly glared at me.

His hazel eyes pierced through me, as if he could read every single one of my thoughts. The street lamps illuminated his face, giving him a frightening, if not menacing look.

"I…. I'm sorry…" I cowered behind grandma.

"Viktor!" Granny bellowed.

I was expecting him to apologize, but he said nothing. The playing cards continued to slip and slide in his hands, creating beautiful moves that would earn him a living if he had done this on the street.

"Anyways." Granny huffed, "I'm going to buy ourselves some baked potatoes, so you kids stay put for a minute."

As granny left the two boys and I for the baked potato stall, the street lamps started to go on and off as if there was something supernatural in the area. After a few flickers, the lights went out, leaving us in darkness.

"Granny…" I cowered, "Where are you…"

Someone suddenly pulled me closer. I wanted to scream, but his voice calmed me down.

"Relax." His voice hoarse but giving me a sense of safety, "I'm here."

I looked up to see the older of the two boys have his arm around my waist; his eyes sparkled with a sense of danger and caution. His brown hair grew even messier in the murderous, howling wind. Taking a whiff, the smell of lavender entered my nostrils, soothing my nerves.

"It takes a while before the lights come back on." He whispered, soothing my hair with his other hand, "Just close your eyes and relax in the silence."

"Why…." I asked weakly.

"Because I know the feeling of being left alone by family, even if it's only for a while." He said gently.

"Especially when I'm alone and afraid."

I woke up once again, finding myself in bed. I felt cold and weak, feeling my forehead, it was burning hot. I sat up, finding that I had already changed into my light-blue pajamas. I got out of bed, but I had to keep myself up by using the wall as support; as I approached the door, I heard talking.

"Is Onee-chan going to be okay?" Alisa asked.

"She's had a fever since the Student Council meeting started." Johann said. "I doubt she'll recover by tomorrow."

But… what about the Student Council?

"You're too kind, Johann-san." Alisa said, "I owe you big time for this."

"Well, I can't just leave her passed out in the streets, can I?" Johann said, a small scoff could be heard from the door, "I'm not that bad as a person, Девушка."

Девушка….. I thought…. Little girl?

"Anyways, can you help me prepare the ingredients so I can get you girls something to eat? The recipe is on the table."

"Sure!" I could hear Alisa's excitement in her voice and footsteps becoming fainter and fainter from my room.

"How do you expect me to come in when you're leaning against the door?"

I panicked and backed away from the door, allowing Johann to enter; he looked more tired than before, his shirt and blazer were absent, leaving him with a plain, grey t-shirt that showed off his well-built, streamlined body. The belt on his pants was missing, and he was in his socks.

"Schmidt-san…" I stammered as I sat on my bed, my face reddened, "I'm still in my pajamas…"

"Not like I've undressed a woman before."

"What?!" I wanted to get up and slap him, but the fever in me stopped me from doing so, "You can't just…"

"You're tired and your mind is kind of fuzzy." Johann came over and pressed his forehead to mine, "And your fever's still not going down."

The scent of lavender once again went into my nostrils, almost tranquilizing my senses; I stared into Johann's eyes, his left eye shined with kindness and gentleness while his right eye was still covered by his eye patch. Reaching for the black piece of cloth, I took off his eye patch, revealing the darkness and hollowness in his eye socket.

I expected him to flinch and struggle to put his eye patch back on, but surprisingly he didn't. Putting his hands on my shoulders, Johann tucked me into bed, pulling the sheets over me.

"Schmidt-san…." I said weakly, "I can take care of myself, you know…"

"Says the girl who passed out on the streets." Johann gave a small laugh, taking a seat at my desk, "I'm still surprised at how you managed to stay hypnotized for so long."

Hypnotized?

"Hard to mess around with, the subconscious mind." Johann scratched the back of his head, "Especially when you're all sick and all."

"How did you…"

"It's just giving you suggestions." Johann took his eye patch from my hands and put it back on, "Although I've been out of practice for a while…"

"You can hypnotize people?!"

"Not on a daily basis, obviously." Johann stood up and headed for the door, "I had to keep you thinking that you were fine so that you wouldn't worry so much."

"Johann Oni-san!" Alisa came in, "The ingredients are ready!"

"Harasho…" Johann smiled, "I guess you girls are in for a treat tonight."

"Johann! There's no need…" I sat up, trying to convince him that cooking for Alisa and me would only make him more tired.

"I'll be back in a while." Johann once again came over and tucked me back in, even tucking my white teddy bear in right next to me, "I'll wake you up when it's done."

"When what's done?"

"Something tasty." Johann closed the door behind him.

Viktor

"Hey…" I gently poked Eli's shoulder, "It's done."

Eli opened her eyes slowly and rubbed her nose like a cat would; her blonde hair spread everywhere on her pink pillow, hugging her white teddy bear tightly, she slowly sat up and faced me.

"Johann...kun?" She asked, rubbing her eyes.

"C'mon, eat it while it's hot." I took the tray I brought in and set it on her desk. During her nap, I have managed to cook up a small pot of congee, a Chinese-style porridge made of rice with some meatballs and a boiled egg.

Taking the bowl carefully, I scooped up the liquid-like substance with a spoon and blew gently to cool it.

"Johann…." Eli said weakly, "I can eat on my own…"

"Nonsense." I said, letting her take a sip, "How does it taste?"

"Where's the rest of it?"

I lent her the whole bowl, and she just started gulping it down, regardless that the whole thing's still steaming hot.

"Eli! Chill!" I wanted to stop her, but she had already finished it, "You're going o kill yourself!"

"I need the heat to take away the fever." Eli wiped her mouth with a piece of tissue, "Besides, I never thought you'd be the cooking type."

"Well, people are full of surprises." I took the bowl from her and set it back in the tray, "I learnt how to cook only a few years ago."

Well, that's mostly your grandmother forcing me to help out in the kitchen.

"Anyways, you need rest." I took the tray with me as I stood up and headed towards the door, "I'll be going back some time soon after I finish cleaning up."

"You're quite different right now than you are at school."

"My moral values don't allow me that."

"It's almost as if there are two sides to you…."

And I could only smirk at that statement.


	6. Chapter 6: Of Fairytales And Nightmares

Ch. 6: Of Fairytales And Nightmares

Leaving after I clean up? Not happening.

Placing the bowl in the sink, I let the water fill the food-soiled utensils. As the water mixed with the grease left inside, I could feel someone tug my shirt.

"Johann oni-san?" Alisa looked at me with those large, innocent eyes.

"What?" I started to squeeze detergent on the sponge, producing foams as I squeezed it.

"Are you really staying here tonight?"

"Probably. I need to be here just in case anything happens." I started to scrub the pot with the sponge, my arms aching as I repeatedly cleaned the interior, "And don't you have homework to do?"

"Well, there's Math and Integrated Science…" I swore I heard a hint of fear in Alisa's voice, "Onee-chan usually teaches me but since she's sick…"

"Let me finish the dishes first." I sighed, filling the pot with water to wash the soap away, "I don't want whatever's left in these to rot the next day."

"You're very keen on keeping things clean…" The volume of Alisa's voice decreased with each word until it was almost inaudible.

"Given your…..attire…"

"That's just one of my bad habits." I smirked, ruffling my greasy hair, messing it up even more, "You'll come to find out more as time passes."

"Onee-chan speaks of you sometimes."

Oh, really? That's interesting.

"She said that you were the most apathetic jerk the first day she came back from school…" Again, her volume started to decrease as she said each word, "The fact that you're a boy surprised me, too."

"Well, everyone's full of surprises." I turned to the bowls now, scrubbing them with the sponge, "Little secrets that take keen observation to notice."

"But I don't see how you are apathetic," Alisa stood beside me now playing with her fingers, "Nor are you a jerk."

I took a small glance at her, then turned my attention back to the dishes.

"People usually hide bad secrets by acting like delinquents and bullies," Alisa asserted, "because they are weak and seek respect from others."

I'm gonna have to have a little talk with Eli about what she's been teaching her little sister.

"But you don't seem to have that mean demeanor when you're here." Alisa continued, "In fact, you've been such a nice person from what I've seen so far."

"Meh." I shrugged, stacking the cleaned dishes on the rack, "Maybe you just don't know me that well."

"I don't think mean people help around when someone is sick."

"She was gonna pass out on the streets." I rejected her statement, wiping my hands on my shirt, "Being mean doesn't include leaving people in danger."

"A tsundere, huh…."

When did I become that?

"I'm not…." I protested, crossing my arms, "I'm just mean in general."

"And what's under there?"

"A socket." I deadpanned, "Lost my eye when an arrow punctured it."

"Chunnibyo?"

And now I've become this.

"No…." I slapped a hand to my forehead, "I'm not a…"

"See? You're even doing what chunnibyos do!"

Honestly? I give up.

"Don't you have homework to do?" I deadpanned.

"Oh wait!" Alisa ran back to her room for a few seconds and came back out with a folder and two books.

"Just these?" I flipped through the two books briefly, taking quick glances at summaries and sidenotes that Alisa made on important parts of each chapter.

"Here's the workload!" Alisa slid the papers out of the folder.

Well, let's just say it's gonna be a long night.

-Line Break-

"That was…" Alisa panted, her whole upper body slumped on to the table, "….tiring."

"Trust me, it just gets harder." I stacked the pile of papers neatly and slid them back in her folder, "Anyways, you should sleep."

"I'll be fine, and I need to get Onee-chan to take some medicine midnight to get her fever down." She said.

"You're a middle-schooler, get some rest." I patted her head as I stood up from the table and went to the fridge, "I'll take care of her."

"But you look so tired…." Alisa played with her fingers, "It's almost like you're dying."

"I'm good at reconditioning myself." I searched through the fridge, fishing out a lemon and a small bottle of honey, "Not letting fatigue and sickness beat me is my specialty."

"What are you going to do with those?"

"Watch and learn, kiddo." I smiled while heating up a kettle of water. Cutting the lemon in half, I took three mugs and squeezed a little bit of lemon juice inside, followed by a teaspoon of honey each.

"Does this even taste good?" Alisa asked, looking at the yellow liquid inside each mug.

"My brother loves this everytime he gets a fever," I poured some hot water into each mug and a little bit of cold water to make it luke-warm, stirring each mug with the teaspoon I used to scoop the honey with, "might be a little bit sour, but its better than most medicine."

I placed the three mugs on the table, pushing one towards Alisa. She looked reluctantly at the cup, then back at me.

"Try it first, then tell me it's disgusting." I sipped from my mug, letting the sour but sweet substance clear my throat.

Alisa took a sip from her mug, and I saw her eyes widen as she started to gulp down the whole thing.

"I know," I placed my mug gently back on the table and crossed my legs, "disgusting, isn't it?"

"How do you know so many things?" Alisa stared into her mug, "I've never met someone so… capable!"

Well, you've met me before. It's just the fact that you were still babbling in your mommy's arms at the time.

"I learn a lot on my way." I crossed my legs and leaned back, "all kinds of things."

"Tell me!" Alisa beamed, "Tell me about your stories!"

"That's an activity for another time." I picked up her mug and placed it in the sink, "You need sleep right now."

"Just one?" Alisa pleaded, her sky-blue orbs, just like her sister's, stared innocently at me. "Please?"

Honestly, I need to raise my immunity towards these kind of looks, because I can't resist puppy eyes.

"Fine." I sighed, "Just one."

-Line break-

The snow fell gently on the school grounds, covering the ground with a thick, white blanket. The bell rung three times before students started to shift around classrooms, all of them wearing thick jackets and pants…

…all except for one.

I paced towards my next period classroom slowly, my bag hung loosely on my left shoulder and my tie was loose; behind me were a bunch of shallow human beings that called me their "friend".

"Hey Viktor!" Peter walked up so he was beside me, his fake grin ever-so present on his face, "Wanna get lunch together?"

"Don't we always?" I sighed.

"You're always so popular amongst us." Peter continued, "With your grades, skills and looks…"

"You can take it back if you can!"

In front of me was a pack of girls, and in the middle was a red-head who wore nothing but her basic uniform. The other girls tossed what seemed to be her jacket, with her desperately trying to take it back to provide herself with that little bit of warmth, but to no avail.

I stopped abruptedly and watched the pack toss around the girl's jacket, laughing while they were doing so. I also noticed a bucket of water sitting on the side of the corridor, and the girls kept glancing at it once in a while.

"Here!" One of the girls tossed it to her partner who was closest to the bucket.

"Slam dunk!" Her partner dunked the jacket into the freezing water, soaking it completely.

The red-head hurried towards the bucket, pushed away the pack, and fished out her jacket, but only to have one of the other girls kick the bucket over, soaking her in water in this murderous weather.

"We should go." Peter shook my shoulder, "These girls don't mess around."

"Neither do I." I snarled and walked towards the scene.

"Hey!" I yelled.

The pack turned towards me surprised, but the red-head was still focused on getting herself dry.

"Oh hi Viktor!" The head of the pack smiled slyly, "What brings your attention here?"

"I've gotta get to my next period." I leaned on the wall, "And you ladies are in the way."

"I'm so sorry!" She looked surprised, but I could tell she has already killed me a thousand times in her mind for messing up her "fun time".

"And don't you have class too?" I asked, hanging a small smile on my face.

"Right….. yeah…" She stammered, her face a shade of red, "See you next time..yeah?"

"Sure." The smile still hung to my face, "If you won't mind giving me your phone number?"

I saw the other girls in the pack giggle as the leader picked out her cell phone and slowly reading out her number to me. I, on the other hand, was not paying attention to her at all, for my eyes were glued to the poor girl who was desperately trying to dry herself.

"Yeah, I'll call you later." I waved the girls away, all the while approaching the freezing girl at an alarming speed. She looked at me all frightened at first, but it slowly contorted to a surprise as I took off my jacket and covered her with it.

"Thank….thank you…" She mumbled as her teeth clattered against each other, accompanied by more shivering from the cold.

"Are you alright?" I tugged the jacket tightly, closing off the cold from outside, "What happened to you?"

"They were just playing, that's all." She sniffled as she turned her head away from me, her light-brown eyes glistened with tears, "I'll be fine by the time school ends."

"No, you're not fine." I insisted, "Where are your friends?"

"I've been alone…" She muttered, "Since the beginning of the school year."

"You're a freshman?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah."

"Same here." I wiped her tears off with my sleeve. The cold had finally took its effect on me, chills went down my spine as a familiar feeling went up to my nose…

Turning my head away from her just in time, my whole mind went blank as I sneezed, with a ringing going on inside my head after. I looked at the girl again, and I could kind of guess that I have a funny face when I do that, because she was trying very hard to conceal her laughter.

"You should take this back…" The red-head started to take my jacket off, but that made me close it around her even tighter.

"Stay warm, alright?" I swiped strands of hair that were in her face, but then something hit me as if an arrow were to hit the bullseye of a target…

She is beautiful….

"What's wrong?" The red-head waved a few times in my face, looking all confused, "Hey…"

She never got to finish her sentence as my lips covered hers gently. My eyes were closed and I have no idea why I did it nor did I know how to do it…

Which brings me a big problem…

Alright, how do I do this? Because this is my first kiss, and I have no idea what I'm doing, I should probably do it like how people in the movies do it, but that probably won't end well…

Our lips parted, and I could see that her face was as red as a tomato. I looked around only to see Peter's jaw drop to the ground.

"Dude…" I could almost see that childish grin creep up Peter's face.

"What?" I was confused, as if that kiss just messed up my mind completely, "What's wrong?"

"You just kissed a girl in a corridor…" Peter looked like he was speechless and his mind was blown, "I never thought…"

"What's wrong with that?" I looked back at the girl, who was hugging her legs tightly.

Oh wait…..

"What's your name?" I gazed at her gently, but I knew that I screwed this up already and that was probably the dumbest thing I've ever done.

"Na…Natasha." She stammered, her face a beet red, but her light-brown eyes gazed back at me with the same level of gentleness.

"Viktor." My voice was so small that I swore she could have missed it.

"So how long are we going to stay on the floor?" Natasha giggled, "And do you need to get to the infirmary?"

Good point.

Before Natasha could protest to anything, I picked her up bridal-style, holding her in my arms gently as I struggled to stand in the freezing corridor. Natasha didn't say anything, her face buried into my chest as her arms wrapped around my neck.

"You work out?" I smirked teasingly, but that statement itself sounded a lot queery than expected.

"I see you do a lot of push-ups." She grinned before burying her face back in my chest again.

This girl is good, I'll admit that.

"What's your next period?" I started to walk, step by step, towards the maths classroom that I was supposed to be at two minutes ago.

"I'm in the same period as you."

Well, guess I'll have to up my game in observation big time.

"Guess I haven't been paying attention then." I laughed heartily.

"Since you were a little bit too busy with the other girls!" Natasha pouted.

"Not anymore." I lowered my head once again and gave her a deep kiss, to which she responded passionately to. The murderous weather of Moscow used to be one of the things that I hated the most, but because of it, I became the happiest guy in the world.

-Line Break-

"That's so cute!" Alisa squealed, "Tell me more about this guy!"

"I only crossed paths with him a few times." I sipped from my mug again, "Never really knew who he was."

"But anyways, that was a great story." Alisa said sweetly, "Thank you very much."

"You're welcome." I nodded, "Anyways, you got class tomorrow, now go to sleep so you don't get sleepy during the day."

"What about you? Don't you have class too?"

"I'll be fine, it's not like I'll miss a lot." I yawned, picking up the last mug and stood up, "I have a patient to tend to."

"It's been fun talking to you." Alisa smiled.

"Yup." I reached for the doorknob on Eli's room, "Sweet dreams, kiddo."

Slowly opening the door so as not to disturb her, I walked in as quietly as possible, letting my heels touch the floor first in each step. Eli slept soundly in her bed, with the white teddy bear that her grandmother gave her as a birthday gift still tucked in right beside her. Gently placing the mug on her desk, I bent over and felt her forehead, which was burning hot.

"Hey." I whispered by her ear, nudging her shoulder gently, "Time to take your medicine."

Slowly, Eli sat up, with me setting her pillow so she could lean on it. She looked paler than before, and was coughing. Surprisingly, she smiled at me, a smile so gentle and mature that made me forget that I was the older of the two.

"Drink up," I said, putting on my poker face while handing her the mug, "it helps with the coughing and throat infection."

Eli didn't need me to ask twice before drinking the beverage, gulping mouthful by mouthful. I turned my head away and stared at her desk: it was well kept, as expected of a Eli; a small collection of books stacked neatly on a small shelf, some in Japanese, and others in Russian. I picked one of the classic fairytales, _The Princess who never smiled,_ collected by Alexander Afanasyev, off the shelf.

"You know this book?" Eli cleared her throat as she placed the mug back on the desk.

"Kind of." I lied, flipping through the pages. Simply put, it was about a princess who never laughed, and while most jesters couldn't succeed in making her laugh, a kind, innocent boy comes by and makes her laugh through his genuine stupidity.

"I always wanted someone who could make me laugh heartily." Eli sighed, covering her mouth with her arm as she coughed.

"Can't Nozomi do that?" I asked, flipping to the first page of the book.

"She just teases me all the time!" She protested, but her sore throat rattled her, forcing her to lean back on her pillow. Her blonde hair fell nicely to her shoulders, its texture smooth and silky.

"Good luck then." I scoffed, all the while taking small glances at her.

Eli pouted again, puffing up her cheeks and crossing her arms.

"Can't you make me laugh?"

"Uh…" I stammered, flipping to the second page, but I was never actually reading the book, "No?"

Is it just me, or is it a little cold in here?

"Maybe I should adjust the air conditioning." I walked towards the machine located on the wall. Looking at the knob next to it, I turned the temperature up.

"Wait!" Eli said, "There's a little problem with…"

I looked at the air conditioning again as the machine started to rumble, a loud noise coming out it. Walking towards it, a pile of dust from the flaps flew right in my face. Stumbling three steps back, I waved my hand frantically in front of me to clear the air.

Eli looked at me with a guilty smile.

"That was…" I sat back down, but my nose felt itchy, "Exciting."

The only two things that I could hear in the next few seconds were Eli's laughter and that familiar ringing in my head exclusive to sneezes. I shook my head and cleared my thoughts, allowing my senses to come back to me. Rubbing my nose, I looked back at Eli, who was too busy wiping her tears from laughing.

"Your face…" She coughed all the while panting for air, "when you sneeze…"

"You're not the only one to mention it." I continued to rub my nose as I slouched on the chair, "Nor were you the first to laugh about it."

"I'm so sorry…" Eli caught her breath, "It's just…"

"I understand…" I picked up _The Princess Who Never Laughed_ again and flipped to the second last page, where there was an illustration of the princess laughing and the boy was sitting in the mud all confused, "I understand."

"But you made me laugh though." Eli smiled gently at me.

"Almost everybody laughs when I sneeze." I deadpanned, "Doesn't make a difference."

"But you said you couldn't make me laugh!" Eli said excitedly, "And you did!"

"Right…." I closed the book and put it back where I took it from, "Time to go to bed."

"You're probably right," Eli yawned a little, "I am a bit sleepy."

"Then get some rest." I placed her pillow back down, allowing her to lay down once again, "You should take a day off tomorrow."

"But I've got Student Council affairs to…"

"You won't be able to do anything if you don't rest well." I reached for the piece of string dangling from under the lamp next to Eli's bed, "You should be up and going after tomorrow."

"I suppose so." She smiled wryly, her skye-blue orbs gazed at me.

Pulling the piece of string, all the light disappeared, leaving a silent, pitch-black room. The occasional chirping of cicadas broke the silence, filling the room with a sound of nature and peace. I wanted to bathe in this silence, for this should be the most soothing thing I've encountered in weeks. However, I stopped myself from doing so when I looked back at the blonde girl who slept soundly in her bed.

"Good night, Eli." I slowly crept out of her room so as not to disturb her, closing the door behind me as gently as possible. The lights in the living room had gone out, also leaving it in complete darkness; the chirping sounds of cicadas were louder, but it still didn't change the fact that it was a very soothing atmosphere.

Laying down on the couch slowly, I let my body sink into the soft texture, my whole mind going blank as I relaxed myself. My arms and legs became numb as I breathed in for three seconds, held my breathe for another three seconds, and breathed out for five seconds. Repeating the process, I allowed my subconciousness to step into what most people would call a "Memory Palace".

A memory palace, as its name suggests, is a place in the mind where one can create using spatial memory. My memory palace had a large, white room with fify four different doors, each printed with the face of a playing card. Walking along the doors, it was as if each one of them were calling out to me, wanting me to access their part of my palace. Leaving the hearts, clubs, and diamonds behind, I came across the door with the Jack of Spades printed on it.

"Ah Viktor! It's been a long time!" The Jack of Spades said with a perfect French accent, "Here to see me again?"

I didn't respond to him and pushed the door open: as it had been the last few times I visited it, it was pitch-black, so dark that when I put my hand in, I lose sight of it. Stepping into the room, the door closed behind me, engulfing me with the darkness that I had become so familiar with. The air was silent, so I sat down on the floor criss-crossed and waited for what I had seen so many times in so many different forms…

Suddenly, a man and woman stood in each of two spots that looked like they were lit by spotlights: the man was tall, with nicely combed brown hair and a shaven face, looking sharp in his tuxedo; the woman had blonde hair that was tied into a ponytail, her great figure was adorned in the exotic, red gown that she wore.

"Hi mom." I said grimly, my legs shaking as I struggled to get up, "Hey dad."

Mom and dad didn't move, and I knew perfectly that they wouldn't. Not for now, at least.

"So…" I forced a smirk on my face while they stared at me blankly, "What's it gonna be this time?"

The spotlights died out, and they disappeared. I fell on the floor again, this time leaning backwards, like I was when I first laid on the couch; I couldn't feel my legs, and the numbness creeped up my whole body, immoblizing me completely. I knew what there was to come, so I closed my eyes and waited until everything goes back to normal…

When I opened my eyes again, I was back in Eli's apartment: the clock was striking twelves and the chirping sounds of the cicadas seemed to have died out. My body, however, was still numb, and I could hear the familiar voices in my head.

"He's grown quite a lot since the last time he saw us, hasn't he?" Mother cackled.

"That ungrateful brat, the last time he visited us was three years ago!" I shivered at the distorted voice that was father's.

I slowly wiggled my toes, trying to get the rest of my body to move, but my body suddenly felt even heavier than before as "mother" slowly materialized on my chest. She still wore her gown, but it looked like it had been dyed in blood; half of her face was rotten, so rotten that I could almost smell the foul odor in my imagination; her left eye was missing, and her tongue was almost a foot long.

"So it's you tonight." I stared her down, "You look nicer than the last time I saw you."

"I miss you, Viktor." She placed her hands on my chest and slid to my shoulders, "What gave you the courage to visit us again?"

"I don't know." I tried to keep eye contact, but the woman in front of me looked so hideous that I wanted to blind my other eye, "You asked me that last time and you know that the answer will still be the same, why ask anyway?"

"Why haven't you let go?" Her facial features seemed to soften a little, "It's been so long…"

"The dead don't talk, mother." I smirked, my toes beginning to move, "Time to get back into my head."

"Will you be visiting us soon?" Mother got up from me, her lower body slowly disintegrating into ashes.

"Depends." I said coldly, watching her torso disappear.

"I love you, Viktor." Mother had changed back to her normal self, a sad smile on her face, "But please…"

"We don't want to see you like this."

I gasped for air as I gained back control over my body. The lucid dreaming had ended, and I failed to control it. Slowly getting off the couch, I gently rubbed my head, letting my senses come back into my brain; my shirt was drenched and I could feel the sweat on my armpits.

"Damn it." I cursed under my breath, panting as I laid back on the couch.

The slow melody of Beethoven's Midnight Sonata echoed through the room, which startled me for a second. I looked around, and saw the phone ringing.

Probably just some advertisment, I thought as I slumped back on the couch.

Wait a second…..

I shot straight up, my eyes narrowing at the ringing phone.

No one would be as crazy to call at a time like this…

I dashed towards the phone and picked it up, all the while checking if the call had woken up any of the two girls.

"Who is this?" I asked calmly.

The voice that came from the other end of the line was deep and distorted, which can be done via sound-changing softwares. The tone scared me a little, but there the four words that came from the caller caused my whole body to stop dead.

"Good evening, Viktor Ivanov."


	7. Chapter 7: And The Devil Appears

"Who is this?" I calmed myself down as I spoke after a good few seconds, "What do you want?"

"Just checking on you." I could almost imagine the person on the other end of the line shrug, "I want to know how you've been doing so far."

"I'm going to ask you one last time…." I snarled, my free hand enclosed in a fist, "Who the hell are you?"

"Why are you so bitter?" The voice laughed, "You didn't used to be like this."

Someone I knew, huh?

"You don't know me." I closed my eyes and my memory palace slowly materialized around me. Rushing past each door, I came face to face with the King of Clubs. Flinging the door wide open, my brain was flooded with the names of all the people I've met; skimming through the lists of names, I narrowed the ocean of names down to a small list before my parents were declared dead.

"Searching through that extra large memory palace of yours isn't going to help you."

What… That's impossible…

"How do you know that I have one?" I snapped back to reality, "What do you want from me?"

"So perceptive yet so naïve…" A chuckle came from the other end of the line, "Just like when you were little…"

"You'd better tell me who the hell you are…" I hissed, my teeth gritted, "Or I'll find you, and I'll…"

"Oops, looks like time's up!" The voice said cheerfully, "Time to go!"

The line hung dead, with me still holding the phone dumbfounded. Slowly placing the phone back in the charging socket, I had to steady myself using my hand to prevent myself from falling. Looking around the living room, I tried not to let this new fear from getting the better of me, but everything in the vicinity, as normal as they were in their respective places, sent chills down my spine.

Who are these people? What do they want with me?

Once again collapsing on to the couch, I covered my eyes with my forearm. The night was silent and peaceful, but all I felt was fear and uncertainty.

-Line Break-

Eli POV

I slowly opened my eyes, and the morning sun shined into my room with a small stream of light. I wanted to get back to sleep, but my sweat-drenched pyjamas just made me want to get up and take a shower.

My body ached as I climbed out of bed, stretching myself as I yawned. The chirping of sparrows could be heard, and they were very pleasant; looking towards my desk, I picked up The Princess Who Never Smiled, which was sitting neatly in the shelf where Johann had left it. Flipping the book open, I couldn't help but remember Johann's comical expression as he sneezes.

Gently pushing the door open, I came face to face with an empty living room. The clock was striking eight-thirty in the morning.

So both of them went to school, I thought. I wonder what Johann is doing right now…

It was strange, however, that I preferred to call Johann by his first name already. He was a stranger and sort of an adversary to me when we first crossed paths, but it seemed that all the assumptions I had about him were wrong, and that he may be a lot nicer than how he looks and how he behaves around other people. The way that he treated me last night was entirely different from the smug attitude he had at school, and that alone interested me.

Suddenly, the phone rang. Walking towards the tone of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, I picked the device up and placed it next to my ear.

"Eli!" Granny's voice boomed through the phone, making me wince away, "Are you alright? The school said you called in sick!"

It's been a while since she last called. I smiled.

"I'm fine, granny." I coughed a little, "It's just a fever."

"Now it seems that I should have a talk with Viktor." Granny's tone turned to a smug one, "That little trickster hasn't been answering my calls lately!"

"Viktor?" I was confused, "What does he have to do with all this?"

"Didn't I tell you? I sent him here to help you with your Student Council duties!"

My mind went blank for a second.

"What do you mean by…" My eyes narrowed, "Sending him to help me?"

"He should be here for a few days already." Granny sounded angry, "That one-eyed…"

"Wait a second." I interrupted granny's grumbles, "One-eyed?"

"Oh yeah." Granny said as-a-matter-of-factly, "He lost an eye when he was shooting arrows with five bottles of vodka in his system."

He what?!

"Does he still keep his messy hair?"

"Was there a time when Viktor Ivanov ever care about his attire?" Granny asked sarcastically.

"Is he still unshaven?"

"Of course." Granny sighed, "I've grown tired of reminding him."

"Yeah…" I looked towards my apartment door, "Because there's this mysterious one-eyed guy who calls himself Johann…"

"I should have guessed that he used an alias." I could already see granny's palm slapping her forehead at her end of the line, "It runs in his family."

"Granny, I think you're scaring me a little." I could only lay down on the couch as I yawned, "Viktor's got college, he couldn't possibly…"

"I helped him drop out of it."

Now I'm starting to understand why he's so grumpy all the time…

"Granny, you can't just…"

"Anyways, I gotta get back to bed." Granny yawned, "Good night, Elicchika!"

The line went dead, and I just stood there with the phone in my hand. Hundreds and thousands of questions began to flood my mind, which made my head hurt even more as I sat down on the couch. My mind sank with my whole body into the soft texture, and the sunlight seemed much more irritating to the eye than usual.

First things first, why didn't he just tell me he was here?

Knowing Viktor for more than a few years, I knew only one thing about his personality.

Nothing. At. All.

Which bugged me a lot. Viktor is an extremely cautious and calculating person, almost as if his brain was a supercomputer; but at the same time he was very unpredictable, for all the details were hidden behind his poker face. I groaned in frustration, letting the questions sink in as my body continued to slumber.

The door creaked open, and Johann… or shall I say Viktor, trotted slowly back inside. His hair was messy as usual, but it wasn't greasy; his face was pale, but even without the moonlight, it was the kind of paleness that hinted that he was going to collapse at any moment. He had replaced his crumpled, not-to-standard school uniform with a black shirt and jeans, but the top two buttons of the shirt were undone. He tumbled slowly towards me, his left eyelid covering his eye more and more with each step.

I didn't even know how to face him anymore: he felt like a stranger to me now, a grown man that distanced himself even further than before. With the eyepatch and even more depressing aura, it was hard for anyone to distinguish him from a normal human being, let alone a childhood friend.

"Oh…." He mumbled almost inaudibly, "You look better than last night."

How could he… how does he even…..

"Are you alright?" I looked at him with a worried expression, "You look like you just…"

"Yes, I know." He smiled wryly, "I took a shower and had a change of clothes."

He's lying right in front of my face about who he is…but he just does it so naturally…..without any sort of guilt or regret…

"I mean you look sick." I quickly dismissed his poor sense of humor, earning a small grunt from him, "Like you're dying."

"Don't worry." He ruffled his hair, "It happens, just not very often."

I've had enough of this.

"That's not true!" I blurted, "You were never this ill when we were kids!"

Viktor stopped dead, his left eye suddenly widened in shock for a fraction of a second but quickly returned to his lazy gaze. He stretched for a bit and groaned, which I guess is out of frustration. I looked at him sternly, but my attention was starting to falter because of my sickness.

"So?" I put my hands on my hips to steady myself, "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Viktor shrugged with one shoulder, his placid expression never changed as he hunched his back even more, almost as if he was bending over something.

"Your fever is acting on you." He said without a hint of emotion, "Get some rest, you'll come to your senses soon enough."

"Viktor Ivanov!" I bellowed at the top of my voice, "You better stop messing with me!"

He gritted his teeth and the glare in his left eye became a murderous one.

Good, I thought. He's showing emotion.

"What's your deal?" He said, the calmness fading away in his voice, "I don't know this guy and…"

"Granny told me everything."

Viktor finally cracked, straightening his back as he faced me once again. All emotions dried out from his face, leaving me with the placid look that he had since the first time I met him on the cold streets of Moscow. I stared him down, not letting my sickness getting the better of me, for my head was hurting more and more, almost as if it was burning. Sweat drops rolled down my cheeks, and my vision was getting blurrier as the clock ticked by…

"Eli…"

Just who am I to you, Viktor Ivanov?

"Eli! Stay with me!"

"Why would you…" I opened my eyes again, but all I could see was a sillouhette, "How could you…"

"I'll explain later!" Viktor lifted me in his arms and carried me to my bed, which I recognised because of its soft texture.

"Fools…" He choked, "Both of you…"

"You're one to talk…" My vision had cleared now, but the first thing I saw wasn't what I expected.

Viktor Ivanov was crying.

He had taken off his eye patch, and his left eye was glistened with tears, which rolled down his pale, almost lifeless cheek. His supposedly stray strands of hair slumped down on his head, which made him look like an abandoned puppy. His facial expressions softened a lot, showing me a side of him that I had never seen before.

"Viktor?" I mumbled under my breath, "Are you…"

"No."

He had hid himself behind that mask again, cutting off every sign of gentleness and compassion. His facial expression hardened like water in sub-zero temperature, the freezing and stoic aura sent chills down my spine; his face was pale as ever, but there were two wet streaks that reflected off the sunlight that shined into my room.

"I should have told your grandmother that I used an alias." Viktor sighed as he ruffled his hair, even pulling it while doing so, "Could have made things so much more easier."

"Why would you do that?" I wanted to sit up and look at him properly in the eye, but I had wasted a lot of energy in the past hour already, so I chose to stay laying on my bed.

"My job was merely to provide you with assistance to keep this school from closing down." He said while massaging his temples, "Not to complicate things for you."

"Who said you were going to complicate things for me?"

"You will understand as soon as you're up and going."

I could tell that Viktor didn't look well even when he put on his poker face: there was a strong scent of frustration within him, anger towards his very own being because of his carelessness. It was rare for him to be like that back when we were kids, but now it seemed as if his defenses were getting weaker day by day.

I looked up at him gently, "We're going to get through this, alright?"

"Yeah right." He scoffed, his face still as pale as a sheet of paper.

"You can tell me if there is something wrong," I finally had the strength to sit up and looked at him at eye level, "I'll help you through…"

"Was there a time that I ever needed your help?" Viktor said bitterly, "Or how about I put it this way…"

"Was there a time where I actually had a choice to do what I want?"

That was when it hit me. I never realized that throughout all the time he spent with my family, there was never once that he did what he wanted, said what he wanted, or even had his thoughts for the benefit of his future.

Although not entirely obedient, Viktor Ivanov was a puppet.

"Viktor…" I wanted to comfort him, but I was lost for words. He had been tangled in strings for too long, helping me out favor after favor without getting anything in return just because I asked him to. He was lost, a grieving boy who lost almost everything accepted into a family that used him like a butler regardless of what he had been through.

He must be so strong, I thought. So unbreakable to withstand everything granny had him put up with for so many years…..

"I never asked for anything in return." Viktor's eyes were lifeless, staring at the wall in front of him, "But hey…. Worser things could have happened to me."

"But you were the best thing that happened to me!"

"You keep telling yourself that." He looked away from me, but I caressed his face with my hands while forcing him to look me in the eye again. His pale cheeks, once cold and pale as snow, showed a tint of red and a small rise in temperature, indicating a small blush. Viktor started to stammer, in a way that I last expected him to be.

"Eli… St…..Stop it." He squeaked, all the while trying to avoid eye contact, "Your fe*hiccup*….fever is acting on you."

Who knew Viktor would be this adorable?

"I never knew you were that bad at maintaining eye contact with girls." I smiled a little, "From what I heard, you were quite the attractive one back in middle school."

"That is definitely not true." He retorted, his stammer now gone, "I was just more sociable back then."

And who knew Viktor Ivanov could respond like a decent human being?

"Stop giving me that pitying and surprised look, you're scaring me."

No. You're scaring me, actually.

"From what I recall, I'm not that scary oooooooohhhh." Viktor sounded like a child who discovered a new toy, "Well hello."

I should have listened and stayed in bed, because the Viktor right now is probably possessed by an optimistic spirit.

"Well that's something I haven't felt in a while."

"Felt what?" I asked him.

"A sense of relaxation." He moved his jaw around as if there was something in his mouth, "Feels weird but certainly not bad."

There is definitely something wrong with this guy.

"You are Viktor Ivanov, right?"

"The one and only, I'm afraid." He smiled, but frowned as he looked at my alarm clock.

"You didn't happen to skip breakfast, did you?"

-Line Break-

"Not your five-star hotel luxurious meal…" Viktor said smiling as he sat the tray down on my desk, "But I hope it doesn't dissapoint."

Oatmeal with nuts and raisins, a poached egg, miso soup and a glass of milk.

"Th…..Thank you." I stammered, watching the steam emit from the food.

"Well, that's one thing I learned during my stay with you people." He spooned a bit of oatmeal and blew on it, "Now be a good girl and open your mouth."

Is he trying to feed me again?

"I'm not a child, you know?" I pouted, turning my head away from him even though my stomach was growling like a hound that has found its prey, "It's too embarassing to be fed at an age like this!"

Viktor sighed as the spoon stayed still in his hand.

"Suit yourself then."

Huh?

"Wait! That's my food!"

The only thing that kept Viktor from taking the food in the spoon was his jaw, all the while his eye fixed on me with a childish glint of mischief.

"Now correct me if I'm wrong…" Viktor lingered the spoon slowly in front of me, letting the aroma seep into my nostrils, "but I believe I'm the one with the spoon."

"You!" I tried to reach for the food, but he would just put it near his own mouth again like he was threatening to eat it.

"The healthy one with the spoon makes the rules." Viktor grinned like a child.

"And the sick one without the spoon follows them?" I tried to glare at him, but the grin on his face did not falter one bit.

"Something like that." Viktor moved from the chair to my bed, sitting on the very edge with half his backside in the air.

I started to scoot over so as to make some room for him, but Viktor shook his head and held a firm but gentle grip on my arm to tell me that I didn't need to move.

"Just make yourself comfortable." He said, his tone as tender as the skin of a newborn child, "Don't mind me."

Why are you doing this? I felt my face heat up even more as his natural scent of lavender invited itself into my presence, soothing all of my nerves at the same time. I looked at him, and even though I knew I was looking at the same Viktor Ivanov, his 180-degree behavior change surprised me a lot, because he was being the person that I had always wanted but never expected to be.

"Viktor?" I tried to look him in the eye, but the delicate glance he returned me put my efforts to shame.

"Yes?" He tilted his head a little, an innocent expression plastered to his face.

How does he even pull that off? I thought, playing with my fingers as I jerked my head away from him.

"Why are you….." I stuggled to keep my words together as I slowly turned my head around to face him, "What made you…"

"A lot of things, probably." He said, putting the spoon back in the oatmeal for a new warm scoop, "Most likely a heat-of-the-moment."

But still logical and mindful as ever, I smiled.

"Anyways, you need to eat." Viktor said, holding out the spoon with one hand and the other cupped underneath to prevent any food from dropping.

I looked at him in disbelief.

"Are you still trying to feed me?"

"What's wrong with that?"

"I'm not a child!"

"And you are certainly not an adult."

"I'm sick, stop messing with me."

"Oh you rebellious teenager and your unbreakable pride." Viktor sighed, all the while smiling to himself, "Not so cold after all, eh?"

I looked at the spoon of oatmeal that had been lingering in front of me for a while now, and even though my dignity would tell me otherwise, my stomach was definitely telling me to eat. As I closed my mouth around the spoon, the aroma of oatmeal and raisins melted on to my tongue, presenting me with a simple but very delicate meal.

"Not bad, huh?" Viktor looked at me as if he was searching for a reaction, "I mean, given that you're sick, your taste buds won't be functioning too well."

"Sometimes I think you are too modest." I smiled, swallowing the oatmeal, "In so many different ways."

"Let's just say I don't like being the center of attention." He returned my smile with his own, a twinkle that almost made my heart skip a beat, "Unless I absolutely have to."

"But you're a magician," His fondness of keeping a low key surprised me, "I thought people of your kind love the attention."

"I prefer giving small surprises just to cheer people up a bit." Viktor took another scoop of oatmeal and fed me carefully, "Or when I have objectives that require a certain degree of deception."

"Like picking pockets?"

"I don't have that hobby."

"Natasha told me."

"You saw that, didn't you?" He scoffed at himself, "When I was kissing her in the corridor back in middle school."

My face reddened at the memory. I knew that kissing in public was already embarassing to begin with, but the way Natasha roamed her hands under his shirt was far too daring even for normal couples.

"How could anyone forget that?" I covered my face with my hands as both the thought and fever would dye my face crimson, "She was…."

"Well, it certainly didn't feel bad."

I mustered up a lot of strength and smacked Viktor in the arm, earning a grunt and muttering from him.

"Good thing I wasn't holding your breakfast."

"You shouldn't have said that!"

"What's wrong with that?!"

"She was….!" I would have continued ranting if my breathe didn't run short, but the sudden itch in my throat caused me to cough violently, scrambling my line of thought as I briefly struggled for air.

"Easy there," Viktor quickly came to me, rubbing my back and letting his natural scent of lavender flood my consciousness, "You'd better get some rest after your meal."

"After all, fevers can be a pain."

-Viktor POV-

No… not now…..

I stumbled out of Eli's room after she had fallen asleep, my head hurting more and more as I sat down at the dining table.

"How the hell did you get out?" I grumbled, rubbing my temples.

"It wasn't that bad, I actually enjoyed it."

His neatly combed brown hair was the exact opposite of that mess of mine, with his bangs swiped to the right. Both of his hazel eyes stared back with a hint of curiousity and childish innocence, which was something that I had not seen in a while.

"Hello Viktor." He smiled.

"Get back into my head." I stared menacingly at my alter ego, but he didn't even flinch a bit.

"Can't you let me breathe a little?" He stretched in his chair, yawning as he leaned back, "The playing card that you locked me in was more than suffocating."

"I locked you up for a reason." I snarled, baring my teeth at him.

"So you won't feel love nor compassion after mom and dad died?"

"Exactly." I sighed, rubbing my forehead now, "Now can you please get back in my head?"

"Why do you do this to yourself all the time?" He reached out and held my hand, even though it felt like nothing, "You're hurting yourself."

"And I probably have split personality disorder if you don't disappear." I groaned.

"Never thought a mental disorder would help curing you."

"You mean us?"

"You know this is you talking to yourself, right?"

"I'd rather think of us as two entities." I fished out my deck of playing cards and spread them on the table neatly, "Wanna bet?"

"Texas hold-em?" He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Why not?" I countered, handing the deck to him.

"Sure, but no cold stacking." He said, shuffling the deck and handing it back to me.

"Just when I thought I could cheat you out of this."

"I know all of your thoughts just like how you know mine."

"But you didn't know how to stack this damn thing yet when I locked you away six years ago." I cut the cards and gave them a quick riffle, "That's probably the only advantage I have over you."

"I'm a magician, Viktor." He smiled, doing simple flourishes with the deck, "I do sleight of hand only to entertain."

"I use those skills to earn myself a living." I scoffed.

"Cheating card shark."

"And you are a narcassistic illusionist." I dealt our two cards in hand and placed the deck down. Peeking at the corners of my hand, I saw the jack of clubs and the queen of hearts.

"Good hand?" He asked while looking at his own cards.

"I'd say it's better than yours." I placed my cards face down on the table.

"Check?"

"Check."

I burnt the card on top by placing it to the side and dealt the first three river cards: a nine of spades, and the king of clubs and diamonds.

"You can still fold, you know?" He smiled, peeking at the corners of his dealt hand.

"Don't even try to bluff me." I snarled.

"Yeah right." He rolled his eyes with a stiffled laugh.

"Despicable conman."

"Phony mentalist."

We stared each other down as he burnt another card and dealt the turn card: the ten of hearts.

A nine-through-king straight for me?

I could no longer keep my poker face, letting the edges of my lips curl upwards as I stared at him like how a predator corners its prey. The cheerful grin on him vanished instantly, replaced with a grim, bitter look that ensured my victory.

"Seems like we all know who's going to win." I leaned forward, hovering over the cards on the table.

"Fold and I'll spare your life."

"I can't go back there." He said, his hazel eyes glowing with determination.

"You created a cage in purgatory just for me."

"And that is where you will belong." I said, dealing the last of the five community cards: the three of clubs.

"So…" I grinned at him, a plot forming in my mind.

"What are the stakes?"

"You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into." He warned me while gripping his cards tightly.

"Killing me will destroy you!"

"You cloud my judgement."

"Emotions are what make us human!"

"Emotions slow me down."

"Why are you this desperate?" He suddenly looked at me with sympathy, "Why do you insist that you can accomplish anything as long as you cast out every trace of feeling?"

"Because it has been efficient that way ever since mom and dad were declared dead!"

"And Natasha? What about her?"

"I broke up with her soon after."

"You son of a bitch!" His hands formed fists and his eyes reeked of anger, "She was a good girl and didn't deserve what you did to her!"

"Her incessant bugging damaged my efficiency."

"Has the thought that she trusted you ever cross your mind?"

"She trusted you, not me."

"I can do so much more." He shook his head, staring at the cards on the table.

"Sadly, you won't." I smiled trumphantly.

"But what if I win?"

"Stop screwing around with me, you little cheat." I snarled fiendishly at him, flipping over my hand, "I win this round! And I am going to kill you when you lose!"

"And if I win?"

"That's your choice." I leaned back.

"If I win, you will have to give me authority to use that battered up carcass of yours."

"So you can do what? Flirt around and act like nothing has happened in the past six years? Hm?"

"I will change you, Viktor." He smiled gently, "I will let you realize that we are one and cannot survive without the other."

Too bad that ain't happening.

"Checkmate, comrade." I turned my hand over, revealing my king-high straight, "You're going nowhere."

"Is that so?"

What?

He flipped over his two cards: the king and three of clubs.

"Kings full of threes….." He looked at me with that stupid thousand-watt smile of his.

"A full house….. and a higher hand."

"You rigged the deck!" I growled at him, all the while looking for the kitchen knife I left in the sink, "You rigged the damn deck and I should have known!"

"But you said I didn't know how to rig decks before you locked me in that cage of yours."

"You said earlier that you have access to my thoughts just like I have access to yours, right? You could've learnt it in mere seconds!"

"And why is that so?"

"Because!" I finally found the blade and pointed it at him, "because…."

Wait…

"Because?"

"Because you're me."

"Now guess what would have happened if you plunged that knife in my chest?"

I dropped the knife, ignoring the clattering sound it created while colliding with the ground.

Looking up, I walked closer to myself, taking a good look at who I used to be. My alter ego simply smiled as he offered his hand to me, to which I gladly took….

 _How do you feel?_

Weird.

 _Did you forget anything?_

I don't know. Seems fine so far.

 _There's so much to learn here!_

Stop looking through my memory palace!

 _You still have a thing for redheads?_

I should have thrown away the queen of hearts.

 _What about blondes?_

Blondes? Why?

 _See? There's a small side note there, says "that blonde girl is so cute"._

I scratched that out, you shouldn't be able to read it.

 _Well, seems like you've been trying to remind yourself of something that you didn't want to admit._

"Oh come on!" I laughed, "Me? Having a thing for blonde girls?"

 _Wait, there's even a name there._

"You've got to be kidding me, dude." I laid down on the couch, "I haven't even met any cute blonde girls in all eighteen years of my life!"

 _Has anyone ever told you that you're as dense as a rock?_

"You're the first." I furrowed my eyebrows.

 _I mean, you practically had puberty hit you while she was around_.

"No shit, Sherlock." I scoffed.

"How could I possibly have a crush on Ayase Eli?"

"Viktor?"

 _Dude, speak of the devil._


End file.
